Nine people were injuredafter a powerful lightning strike struck the runway and the service platform of the “Arturo Michelena“ International Airport in Valencia (Carabobo state, Venezuela).
The incident occurred during a strong tropical storm, accompanied by heavy rains and intense electrical discharges in the region.
Details of the incident and the injured
The lightning struck in close proximity to a plane of the Spanish airline Plus Ultra, which was being prepared for a scheduled flight at that moment. Among the nine injured people are the names of four officers of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) and five civilian workers from the airport terminal's ground service.
The injured underwent an emergency evacuation organized by the Aviation Fire Service. Eight of them were urgently admitted to the shock room of the city's "Dr. Enrique Tejera" (CHET) hospital for specialized examinations and treatment of burns and trauma. According to the latest medical reports, their condition has stabilized and they are out of danger.
Operational situation at the airport
Despite the loud rumble and the fear among passengers, the Autonomous Institute of Airports of the State of Carabobo (IAAEC) confirmed that no material damage was caused to the three aircraft on the runway. Air operations at Valencia Airport were temporarily suspended for a few hours immediately after the incident, but after a quick check of the security systems, traffic and schedules were fully resumed. As of 22:10 Bulgarian time, the airport was operating in normal mode.
The “Arturo Michelena“ Airport is currently receiving extremely heavy traffic of international and domestic flights due to the temporary rerouting of lines from the capital's “Maiketia“ airport, which was seriously damaged during the strong earthquakes in the country on June 24.