American Airlines forced to return to London after lightning strike

An American Airlines flight bound for North Carolina was forced to return to London shortly after takeoff after being struck by multiple lightning bolts while flying through UK airspace, News.Az reports, citing The New York Post.

American Airlines flight AA735 was traveling over Manchester, England, on Wednesday when the aircraft was hit by lightning, prompting the flight crew to turn the plane around and head back to its departure airport.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., air traffic controllers received a squawk 7700 signal from the aircraft, the internationally recognized code indicating a general emergency. The flight was subsequently granted priority clearance to return to London.

The aircraft landed safely at London Heathrow Airport at around 4:35 p.m., where inspection teams examined the plane on the runway.

Although modern commercial aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes, such incidents typically require thorough and often costly inspections to assess any potential damage. According to the US National Weather Service, airlines generally seek to avoid thunderstorms whenever possible for this reason.

The agency also notes that there has not been a commercial airline crash caused by lightning in decades, though smaller and experimental aircraft remain more susceptible to lightning-related risks.

The aircraft involved in the incident was a Boeing 777-300ER passenger jet. According to the report, it will undergo inspections by both the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority before being cleared to resume operations.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev