Lightning hits China Southern Airbus A321 while taxiing, 20 strike marks found

A China Southern Airlines flight bound for Wuxi had to abandon its departure from Shenzhen airport after being struck by lightning. The Airbus A321 aircraft was taxiing during a heavy thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon when the incident occurred.

A passenger on board described a massive thunderclap erupting right beside the plane, making it feel as though the aircraft had been hit. The passenger shared their experience on social media platform WeChat, noting the plane was queuing for takeoff amidst strong winds and heavy rain.

Following the incident, the pilot announced the plane would require an inspection. Ground maintenance staff later confirmed the strike, discovering around 20 marks on the plane's underbelly and elevators. Fortunately, no passengers or crew members sustained any injuries.

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I think I was struck by lightning while on a plane. My flight … was taxiing and queuing for take-off when a sudden thunderstorm broke out, with strong winds and heavy rain, causing the plane to shake. Then I felt a huge bolt of lightning strike right next to us. It felt like we were struck by lightning.