Video watch - Flight from Dublin Airport hit by lightning during storm ciara
A plane flies through the sky just after taking off from Birmingham Airport.
Suddenly with what witnesses described as a huge bang, a bolt of lightning tears through the night - striking the Aer Lingus flight.
Thankfully the aircraft continues to climb, seemingly unharmed.
The dramatic footage was captured by the CCTV camera on a home in Sheldon.
The Aer Lingus plane was flying over the skies of Birmingham in the midst of storm Ciara when it encountered the bolt.
The commercial plane, which had left Birmingham Airport just after 9.30pm on Sunday, was undamaged by the strike and continued to Dublin Airport, landing safely just before 10.40pm
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Speculation was rife on Sunday evening as Birmingham residents took to social media to say they also heard a loud bang.
Shane Patrick Cuzick said: “Heard this at the Heathway, a strange sounding crack of lightning and then what sounded like a jet engine revving in reverse.”
Karen Carolan wrote: “Right by our house. It was so loud we thought our roof had come down - this is a few doors away from us!”
Debbie McGuigan added: “It lit up my living room and was really loud.”
A spokeswoman from Birmingham Airport said: “Aircraft are built to withstand lightning and do frequently encounter lightning during flying.
“Aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes by using static wicks which allow the electricity to pass back into the air from the fuselage.”
Storm Ciara- the third named storm of 2020 swept into the region on Saturday night, wrecking havoc.
Planes, trains and roads were affected, trees were down and many of the region’s outdoor visitor attractions, Drayton Manor, the Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo, decided to close.
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