The nose and cockpit windows of an Austrian Airlines plane were severely damaged by hail during a flight from Spain to Austria, officials say.
Flight OS434 from Palma de Mallorca, Spain, to Vienna encountered a thunder cell on approach to its destination on Sunday.
The flight crew said the cell was not visible on weather radar and a Mayday distress call was made, Austrian Airlines said.
The hail damaged the two forward cockpit windows, the nose of the aircraft and some coverings. Photos shared on social media showed serious damage to the front of the plane, with the covering removed from the plane’s nose.
When you send four besties away and they end up being ‘attacked’ by hail, you lose half of the cockpit nose and the windshields are shattered before arrival. #OS434 Palma to Vienna. Very glad you all made it to the ground – alive. Thank you #Austrian #aua #airlines pic.twitter.com/SHOUsUY5Wg
— Exithamster (@exithamster) June 9, 2024
The plane was able to land safely at Vienna International Airport and all passengers were unharmed by the turbulent weather, the airline said.
The airline said its technical team “has already been tasked with assessing the specific damage to the aircraft” – an Airbus A320.
“The safety of our passengers and crew members is the top priority for Austrian Airlines,” the airline said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
