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ATLANTA - A Delta Air Lines flight bound for Atlanta was forced to declare an emergency and divert to Indiana after the crew reported a potential lightning strike mid-flight. The aircraft landed safely, but passengers are facing an unexpected overnight delay before they can complete their trip to Georgia.
Potential lightning strike triggers emergency protocol
What we know:
The incident occurred aboard a Boeing 737-900ER aircraft carrying 180 customers, two pilots, and four flight attendants. While en route to Atlanta, the flight crew noticed indications of a potential lightning strike.
To ensure a swift arrival and allow for an immediate inspection, the crew declared an emergency to secure priority handling from air traffic control into Indianapolis. Despite the emergency declaration, authorities confirmed that the plane landed safely without further incident and that there were no reported injuries to anyone on board.
What they're saying:
A Delta Air Lines spokesperson released the following statement regarding the diversion:
"After indication of a potential lightning strike, Delta Flight 2894 from Chicago ORD bound for Atlanta diverted to Indianapolis International Airport. As safety is our top priority, the crew followed established procedures, landed safely without incident and taxied to the gate where customers deplaned normally."
Aircraft grounded for safety evaluation
Per standard airline safety protocols, the Boeing jet has been temporarily pulled from active service. It will remain on the ground in Indianapolis to undergo a thorough structural and maintenance evaluation to check for any hidden damage caused by the electricity.
While the landing went smoothly and passengers deplaned normally at the gate, travelers are now facing a lengthy disruption to their holiday travel plans.
Customer accommodations and rescheduled departure
What's next:
Due to the time required to safely reroute and land the plane, the flight crew maxed out their federally mandated duty time limits. As a result, Delta had to cancel the remainder of the flight for the night.
The airline confirmed that stranded passengers are currently being accommodated with hotel rooms and meal vouchers to help ease the burden of the delay. The flight is scheduled to resume operations and fly the remaining passengers out to Atlanta tomorrow.
"We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels," the airline added.
The Source: Information for this story was obtained from a Delta spokesperson.