Passengers safe after helicopter lightning strike

The air traffic control tower at Sumburgh Airport. Photo: Ronnie Robertson

All 17 passengers on a helicopter that was struck by lightning on Friday morning are “safe and well”.

Police confirmed there were no reported injuries on a CHC flight, which had to be diverted to Sumburgh Airport after a lightning strike.

Emergency services were called to the airport on Friday afternoon following the incident.

The CHC S92 was heading to an offshore platform from Aberdeen when it had to make the precuationary landing at Sumburgh.

A police spokesperson said: “Police Scotland can confirm that emergency services were called to Sumburgh Airport in Shetland around 11.45am on Friday, 13 December, 2019 after a helicopter was struck by lightning.

“The helicopter returned to the airport and landed safely. All 17 passengers are safe and well. No one has been injured.”

Earlier this week Sumburgh Airport was forced to close after the terminal building was struck by lightning.

The lightning strike disrupted the airport’s communications system on Wednesday afternoon, with a Loganair flight from Aberdeen to Sumburgh forced to return to Aberdeen.

The airport later reopened that evening.