Terrifying footage captured a lightning bolt striking the wing of a plane during a flight. The video shows the left wing of a Viva Airlines plane being struck by lightning during cloudy weather conditions, followed by a terrified scream from the passengers. The bolt briefly left a small section of the wing glowing orange as well as plumes of smoke. The plane, traveling from Puerto Escondido International Airport, Mexico, to Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City, was not seriously damaged during the incident and carried on its journey. A spokesperson for Viva confirmed to local media that a lightning strike had occurred, but stressed: “The aircraft was never at any point in danger, not in the slightest. It reached its destination without any problems.” According to the Need To Know website, the incident also occurred during the rainy season in Mexico’s Oaxaca state. It is estimated that every commercial airliner in the U.S. is struck by lightning at least once a year, but the planes are specially built in order to conduct the lightning’s currents.
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