A Delta Airlines flight to Italy turned around over the Atlantic and returned to Boston on Sunday, landing safely at Logan Airport after a “lightning encounter” forced its return, the airline acknowledged.
The carrier did not provide details about the problem that triggered the emergency, saying only that the Rome-bound flight turned back “out of an abundance of caution after encountering lightning,” that there were no injuries on board and that a maintenance crew would “determine the full extent of the lightning encounter,” a Delta spokesperson told WFXT-TV.
“Delta Flight 112 from Boston to Rome returned to Boston as a precautionary measure after being struck by lightning,” Delta said in a statement obtained by WCVB-TV. “The flight landed safely and without further incident.”
The Airbus A330 landed at 7:20 p.m. in Logan, instead of continuing to Rome, its intended destination.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it would investigate because commercial aircraft are supposed to be designed to withstand lightning strikes, WBTS-TV reported.
Delta told passengers they could rebook at no charge.
“Due to a mechanical issue with the aircraft, we have cancelled this flight,” the airline said on its flight status for Flight 112. “We apologize for the inconvenience.”
