These images show the severely shattered windscreen of a passenger plane after a highly-skilled pilot managed to land it despite the plane’s glass getting struck during a mid-air hailstorm.
China Southern Airlines Flight 3101 was reportedly flying around a thunderstorm when it was struck by hailstones just minutes before its scheduled landing.
Following protocol, Captain He Xianghang issued a Mayday call to air traffic control at Beijing Capital International Airport, informing them of the damage to the Airbus A380-800.
Images taken of the interior of the cockpit show the front windscreen and side windows splintered and cracked due to the hail impact.
Paint is also missing from the nose of the aircraft as a result of the storm.
However, in radio transmissions released online, Captain He can be heard telling the control tower he “can still see”.
He was given permission to land successfully touched down in the Chinese capital at 11:48 am local time on 26th May.
China Southern Airlines said no one was injured during the hailstorm scare, while passengers have likened turbulence on the flight to being on a “roller coaster”.
The airlines said Captain He has some 15,000 hours of flight experience.
As of noon on 26th May, Beijing airport had cancelled 111 out of 436 scheduled flights due to weather, including rainfall and thunderstorms, which were expected to last until 8 pm.
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Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
