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Massive Whale-Looking Aircraft, The Airbus Beluga, Struck By Lightning Moments After Takeoff

(Photo by REMY GABALDA/AFP via Getty Images)

Alexander Pease Contributor
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The massive Airbus Beluga cargo plane was struck by lightning Tuesday afternoon while flying over North Wales en route to Hamburg, Germany.

Wales residents in the area heard a massive “explosion” noise and described a flash lighting up the sky not long after the plane took off from Hawarden Airport, North Wales Live reported. The incident was reportedly caught on video via a nearby dashcam.

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“Me and my kids jumped out of our skin, all I saw was a bright blue light, and the biggest boom I’ve ever heard in my life,” one witness told The Chester Standard.

An array of residents in the area reported a loss of power as the stormy weather raged on.

Given the power outages and the extremely loud noise, some Welsh residents thought a bomb had exploded, according to the outlet. (RELATED: Europe’s Power Woes May Lead To Cell Network Shutdown)

“This [the lightning strike] is a routine event in aviation and the aircraft continued with its journey to Hamburg,” an Airbus representative confirmed in a statement, according to the outlet.

Upon arriving in Hamburg about an hour and a half later, the whale-esque aircraft was promptly inspected before taking on its next flight, in accordance with aviation guidelines, The Chester Standard continued.

Nobody was injured as a result of the lightning strike.