Delta flight forced to turn around over Atlantic due to lightning strike

The FAA said that commecial jetliners are required by law to be built to withstand lightning strikes

A Delta Air Lines jet at Logan International Airport in Boston. A Delta flight departing Boston for Rome was forced to return to the airport after it was struck by lightning (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

A Delta flight was forced to turn around on a cross-Atlantic journey after "encountering lightning."

The flight, Delta 112, was on its way to Rome from the Logan International Airport in Boston on Sunday evening when the crew reported there had been a lightning strike following its departure, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane turned around over the Atlantic, and headed back to Boston following the strike.

The flight was intended to be an approximately seven-hour journey.

A Delta spokesperson told the New York Post that the plane was diverted back to Boston "out of an abundance of caution" following the strike.

The plane landed in Boston around 7:20pm local time and was met by fire trucks on the tarmac, according to WCVB.

Boston emergency medical staff confirmed to the broadcaster that no passengers or crew were injured.

“The flight landed safely and without further incident,” the Delta spokesperson said.

A passenger on the flight, Donna Pilat, told ABC News that she heard a "small pop" during the flight and described the plane having a rough landing on its return to Logan International Airport.

"We could smell burning rubber from the wheels," she told the outlet. "They had to tow the plane to a hanger and that’s why we didn’t get our luggage for hours. Long night but could have been worse."

Delta said it was working to reroute passengers to their final destinations "as quickly as possible" and apologized for the delay.

Passengers told WBZ-TV that they had to stay on the tarmac for hours because too many planes were landing. Other who disembarked in Boston were forced to spend the night in the city.

"The safety of our customers and people remains Delta’s most important priority," Delta said in a statement.

Pilat told ABC News that the delay was going to cost her a tour of the Vatican, but said she was still looking forward to taking a cruise through the Mediterranean when she arrives in Italy.

The FAA is investigating the incident, but also noted that commercial jetliners are built to withstand lightning strikes.