American Airlines Flight AA735 Makes Emergency Landing at London Heathrow After Reported Lightning Strike Over Manchester

American Airlines Flight AA735 was forced to make an emergency return to London Heathrow Airport after the aircraft was reportedly struck by lightning shortly after takeoff on June 10. The flight was en route from London Heathrow to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina when the incident occurred.

According to reports, the American Airlines aircraft departed Heathrow just after 3 p.m. local time. Approximately 30 minutes into the journey, while flying over Manchester, England, the plane was reportedly hit by lightning. Following the incident, pilots decided to turn the aircraft around and head back to Heathrow as a precautionary measure. IAF Plane Crash: AN-32 Aircraft Bursts Into Flames After Landing at Jorhat Air Force Station In Assam, Killing 5 Personnel (Watch Videos).

Air traffic control reportedly granted the flight priority clearance after the crew issued a Squawk 7700, the internationally recognized emergency transponder code used by pilots to indicate a general emergency situation.

The aircraft landed safely at London Heathrow shortly after 4:30 p.m., where airport rescue and fire crews were waiting to inspect the plane. Emergency teams examined the aircraft on the runway before it was moved for further technical assessments. Southwest Airlines Makes Emergency Landing in US: Houston-Bound Flight Returns to Denver International Airport After Part of Engine Cowling Detaches (Watch Video)

While lightning strikes may sound alarming, aviation experts note that commercial aircraft are specifically engineered to withstand such events. According to the US National Weather Service, commercial planes are struck by lightning approximately once or twice each year on average. Modern aircraft, including the Boeing 777-300ER involved in the incident, are designed to safely conduct electrical currents through the fuselage without endangering passengers or crew.

However, aviation regulations require a thorough inspection whenever a lightning strike is suspected. The aircraft is expected to undergo mandatory post-strike safety checks before returning to service.

The incident occurred amid stormy weather conditions affecting parts of the United Kingdom. Reports also indicated that other flights experienced weather-related disruptions on the same day. A Pegasus Airlines flight from Manchester to Istanbul reportedly returned to the airport after a lightning strike, while a Jet2 flight was diverted following a similar incident during departure from Leeds Bradford Airport.

No injuries were reported among passengers or crew on board American Airlines Flight AA735.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 13, 2026 04:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).