Terrifying pic reveals aftermath of ‘impossible’ lightning strike on easyJet plane’s WING forcing emergency landing

A TERRIFYING image has revealed the aftermath of an “impossible” lightning strike which forced an easyJet plane into an emergency landing.

The image shows the damage inflicted by a thunderous bolt which struck the aircraft’s wing as it was passing over Italy on Sunday.

It forced the EJU2889 flight from Milan to Naples to abruptly land in the eastern city of Bari.

According to reports, the pilot of the EasyJet Airbus A320 was urged by air traffic control to bring all of the travellers to safety and land on the Adriatic coast after the damage was detected.

The flight is believed to have had ninety passengers on board who were all unharmed after the frightful incident.

Heavy rain affecting the Campania region in the South of Italy was thought to have made it impossible for the crews to reach Naples International Airport.

It left the aircraft to make made the landing at the Bari Karol Wojtyla Airport after which cabin crews and medical personnel assisted passengers on board to get off the plane.

According to local media, the passengers were then later taken to Naples by land transport.

They added it was the first time in over 15 years of a lightning strike on an aircraft during a flight.

A spokesman for Easyjet said: "We can confirm that flight EJU2889 from Milan to Naples diverted to Bari, following a lightning strike on approach to Naples, purely as a precaution and in line with our procedures.

"The aircraft is equipped to safely withstand lightning and at no point was the safety of the flight compromised.

"The aircraft landed routinely and passengers continued their journey to Naples by coach.

"EasyJet would like to apologise to passengers for any inconvenience caused.

"The safety of its passengers and crew is the airline's highest priority."

Despite the landing, the image of the damaged plane soon did the rounds on social media, causing great concern among frequent flyers.  

One Twitter user said: "Recall that the plane is a Faraday cage, so lightning generally passes through it with little damage and almost never catastrophic."

While another questioned why the plane landed some 160 miles from it’s intended destination saying:  "Milan-Naples and emergency landing in Bari?";

While third user exclaimed "What a blow!"

According to experts, when lightning hits a plane, it usually hits the nose or wings.

The charge then travels through the body of the plane before it leaves at the tail.

It doesn't usually damage the plane meaning emergency landings are a rarity.

In 2019, frightened passengers revealed how they had feared for their lives when the wing of their plane was also struck by lightning mid-flight.

And a year later CCTV footage captured the scary moment a plane was struck by a lightning bolt during a thunderstorm near Birmingham Airport.