Terrifying moment lightning strike hits LATAM passenger plane with blinding flash

Terrifying moment lightning strike hits LATAM passenger plane with blinding flash Footage filmed from inside Flight LA341 over Chile on Tuesday shows the moment terrified passengers were heard gasping in fright as a blinding flash illuminated the cabin This is the terrifying moment a passenger plane was struck by lightning in mid-air, sending a blinding flash through the cabin. The LATAM aircraft was operating flight LA341 from Antofagasta to Santiago in Chile on Tuesday when it was hit amid heavy rain and thunderstorms. Footage filmed from inside the aircraft shows a blinding flash illuminating the cabin, accompanied by a loud bang. Terrified passengers can be heard gasping in fright before the cabin quickly fills with nervous laughter following the one-in-a-million strike. Despite the lightning strike, the plane landed safely at Santiago International Airport minutes later, according to reports in the local press. Chilean multinational airline LATAM Airlines later confirmed: “Flight LA341, operating the Antofagasta–Santiago route, was struck by lightning during its operation on Tuesday.” The airline explained: “This is a weather phenomenon for which aircraft are designed and certified, and they have systems that allow this type of discharge to be safely dissipated. “The aircraft landed normally at Santiago Airport and all passengers disembarked safely.” It added: “The safety of its passengers and crew is a non-negotiable value in all its operations.” Aviation experts say lightning strikes are relatively common, with commercial planes built to withstand them. An aircraft’s metal fuselage directs the electrical current along its exterior rather than through the cabin, while special devices on the wings and tail help discharge electricity safely. On average, each commercial aircraft is struck by lightning around once a year. Planes are inspected afterwards to check for damage to their structure or electronic systems.