A plane passenger filmed the terrifying moment a lightning bolt struck one of the wings mid-flight.
The footage shows the bolt streaking across the left wing, immediately followed by a blinding flash of light.
As it faded, part of the winglet could be seen glowing, with a trail of smoke also visible behind the wing.
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A split second later, the moans of panic-stricken passengers could be heard in the background.
The lightning struck while the Viva flight was en route from Puerto Escondido International Airport, Mexico, to Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City.
Viva confirmed to local media: “A lightning strike did occur.”
The airline added: “The aircraft was never at any point in danger, not in the slightest. It reached its destination without any problems.”
The incident comes in the first weeks of the rainy season in Mexico’s Oaxaca state, as reported by Need To Know.
The coastal area, where Puerto Escondido is located, sees some of the highest thunderstorm activity in the country during this period.
This year’s season is expected to be more active than usual due to warmer-than-usual Pacific Ocean conditions.
According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a commercial aircraft is struck by lightning on average about once a year.
The vast majority of these incidents cause no structural damage and pose no risk to passengers.
One viewer commented: “Basically nothing happens, but it’s still impressive and quite frightening mid-flight.”
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