As famous by The Aviation Herald, an Airbus A320 was hit by a bullet whereas touchdown right now, but it surely most likely wasn’t intentional (which… is nearly extra regarding?).
Airbus A320 touchdown in Beirut hit by bullet
This incident occurred right now (Thursday, November 10, 2022), on Center East Airways (MEA) flight ME311 from Amman (AMM) to Beirut (BEY). The flight was operated by a roughly 11-year-old Airbus A320 with the license plate OD-MRM.
The airplane was ending up a routine 147-mile, 40-minute flight, and was on closing strategy to Beirut-Rafic Hariri Worldwide Airport. Out of nowhere, the airplane was hit by a bullet, which pierced the highest proper ahead a part of the fuselage. Luckily there have been no accidents, although a Lebanese lawmaker was in seat 2F, and experiences that the bullet entered the fuselage above her head.
As you’d anticipate, the airplane has been taken out of service, and it’ll doubtless take a while to restore this.
Planes are regularly hit by bullets in Beirut
Logically most individuals would most likely marvel if this was intentional, and was an act of terrorism. In spite of everything, capturing an plane fuselage poses a threat to the lives of others.
Whereas a full investigation hasn’t but been carried out, it’s extra doubtless than not that this wasn’t intentional. On common, seven to eight parked planes are hit by stray bullets every year at Beirut Airport. That’s as a result of celebratory gunfire is a typical incidence in Lebanon, as weapons are sometimes fired to mark speeches by politicians, to launch official examination outcomes, and extra.
Whereas MEA appears to simply settle for this as a factor that occurs, earlier this yr Aegean Airways suspended flights to Beirut after one in every of its planes bought struck by a bullet whereas parked on the airport in a single day.
Right now’s incident was the primary time that an MEA airplane was hit by a bullet whereas within the air. MEA’s CEO is now trying to discover methods to curb celebratory gunfire in Lebanon, particularly across the airport, given the chance it poses to planes.
Backside line
A Center East Airways A320 was hit by a bullet whereas touchdown in Beirut right now. Whereas a mean of seven or eight planes per yr are struck by bullets on the airport, this occasion was noteworthy as a result of the airplane was airborne.
Luckily nobody was injured. If weapons are going for use so broadly in Lebanon, you’d suppose individuals might no less than be a bit extra cautious round a serious airport.
What do you make of this MEA A320 bullet incident?
