Wizz Air flight to Abu Dhabi struck by lightning after takeoff

Pilot turned back to Albania shortly after aircraft was hit

Wizz Air flies to a host of Eastern European destinations, including Katowice, Budapest, Bucharest (pictured), Clus-Napoca and Sofia direct from Abu Dhabi

Whether you base yourself in Buda or Pest, the Hungarian capital offers nature-filled activities, cycles along the Danube and the chance to dip in ancient thermal baths. Courtesy Pixlr

Romania's Cluj-Napoca is known for its boho cafes and summertime festivals. Courtesy Vlad Alexandru Popa

Sofia offers open-air markets, ancient ruins, golden-dome topped churches and Ottoman mosques coupled with a surprisingly laid-back vibe for a capital city.  Courtesy Sofia Hotel Balkan, a Luxury Collection Hotel / Marriott

Katowice has an industrial past combined with a thriving arts scene and buzzing foodie culture. Courtesy Silesian Tourist Information System

Passengers on an Abu Dhabi-bound flight from Albania have spoken of the moment that lightning struck their plane.

Wizz Air flight WAZ 7092 was hit shortly after it departed from Tirana, Albania on Monday. The aircraft turned back shortly after and landed safely in the Albanian capital.

People travelling on the flight reported a large bang after the strike, then screaming.

“I was in the seat 3F looking out the window,” said Sansrita Moitra, from India, who was travelling with her husband and friends.

“After about 20 to 30 minutes there was a thunderbolt with lightning. There was a blue-coloured light and then it turned to yellow. The whole sky lit up.

“The first thing that comes to your mind is whether you are safe or not. I didn’t see any fire. It was just lightning and a bang. It was so loud.

“It was really scary. When I looked down I could see the mountains. When it is the sea there is a chance you will survive, but if you are over a hard surface there is no chance of being saved.”

Fellow passenger Mary Paulose, who works for The National, who was on her way back to Abu Dhabi from Italy through Albania, said it sounded like a large crack.

“Something actually lashed the aircraft,” Ms Paulose said. “There was a bright flash along with it and a red flare from the left engine.

“It was scary but I was almost half asleep at the time as I was really tired from my trip, so it didn’t register much with me. But I heard the other passengers scream.”

The captain explained on the PA system that the plane had been struck and that he would announce the next steps soon.

Five minutes later he said the plane would be returning to Tirana.

“The pilot was really good, very experienced,” Ms Moitra said. “He knew what he was doing. He calmed us down.

“He said within 15 minutes there would be an emergency landing back in Tirana. We appreciated the decision because no one wanted to fly in that condition.”

A spokesman for Wizz Air told The National: “Following a lightning strike during the climb, the pilot returned to Tirana to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew on board.

“The aircraft landed safely in Tirana. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority at all times.”

Can lightning damage a plane?

Lightning strikes are fairly common, with some estimates suggesting passenger planes are struck once or twice a year. But serious consequences are rare.

The last plane crash caused by lightning in the US was in 1967.

Skybrary, a database set up by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, said these strikes might be distressing to passengers but “significant physical damage to an aircraft is rare and the safety of an aircraft in flight is not usually affected”.

Very often passengers will not even notice that lightning has hit their aircraft. When heavier lightning bolts do strike, aircraft are designed with fortified wingtips and tails to evenly distribute the charge.

Very occasionally, lightning can strike a plane and cause minimal damage, such as a hole in a tail fin, but pilots are trained to handle such situations.

Planes can almost always fly in thunderstorms and, according to Skyscanner, everything except the most severe weather is harmless to modern aircraft.

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