A passenger on a Vladivostok to Moscow flight in Russia captured a dramatic moment on a phone video, showing a bolt of lightning striking the aircraft. The clip also included footage from a cabin screen that displayed images from a tail-mounted camera. The video was shared on Telegram by the channel Amur Mash.
The Airbus A350-900 was entering a region of heavy cloud cover when the strike occurred. Reportedly, no injuries were sustained by passengers, who mainly witnessed a bright flash and heard a loud bang from the impact.
Writers for the channel noted that the lightning strike occurred near the Golden Horn Bridge in Vladivostok, adding another layer of location detail to the incident. There were disclosures about prior lightning events on different routes, including a separate event on a flight from Moscow to Saint Petersburg.
Industry statistics indicate that lightning strikes affect about one commercial aircraft each year on average. Pilots typically rely on weather radar systems to steer clear of thunderstorms and hazardous electrical activity. While lightning is a startling and potentially dangerous phenomenon, it is generally considered to be largely harmless to passengers and aircraft, provided appropriate safety measures are followed and the plane’s structure remains intact. In many cases, aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes without sustaining lasting damage, and contemporary airliners are equipped to manage electrical surges during flight. A380s, 787s, and the A350 family, among others, are built with conductive skins and bonding frameworks that help distribute the electrical charge and protect critical systems. This resilience is reinforced by ongoing maintenance checks and routine de-icing and weather-flight planning procedures that improve survivability in adverse weather conditions. [Source: Aviation safety summaries]