Storm Byron Hits Israel
Massive Lightning Storm Lights Up El Al 787 Cockpit | WATCH
A dramatic lightning storm lit up the cockpit of an El Al Boeing 787 as Flight LY386 flew through Storm Byron over Israel, with bolts repeatedly striking the jet in a stunning display caught on video.
Passengers on El Al flight LY386 from Milan to Tel Aviv early Wednesday morning probably never noticed, but the pilots were treated to one of aviation’s wildest light shows. As the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flew through the heart of Storm Byron’s ferocious electrical activity over central Israel, lightning bolts repeatedly struck the aircraft, turning the cockpit into a blinding tunnel of white-blue flashes.
The crew captured the surreal scene on video: every few seconds, the entire flight deck strobed with brilliant light as bolts danced across the windshield and fuselage. Despite the dramatic footage now circulating widely on social media, the flight continued normally and landed safely at Ben Gurion Airport.
As reported by Jewish Breaking News, aviation experts stress that lightning strikes are routine for commercial jets, occurring roughly once per year per aircraft, and pose virtually no danger. The 787’s carbon-composite structure incorporates conductive metal mesh that functions as a Faraday cage, safely channeling millions of volts around the exterior while shielding passengers, crew, and critical systems inside. “Pilots see this more often than you’d think,” one veteran captain commented. “The airplane is designed to be the path of least resistance for the lightning, not the people inside it.”
El Al confirmed the aircraft (registration 4X-EDI) was inspected after landing as standard procedure and has already returned to service with no damage found.
Another reminder that even in the middle of nature’s fireworks, modern airliners are built to shrug it off and keep flying.