ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. - The plane carrying British Prime Minister Tony Blair to a meeting with President Bush was struck by lightning as it approached the United States on Wednesday, a reporter on board said. No injuries or damage were reported.
Britain's Press Association news agency said Blair's chartered British Airways Boeing 777 was struck by a lightning bolt as it approached Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at about 10,000 feet. It landed 20 minutes later, at 5:05 p.m.
Jon Smith, a Press Association reporter traveling with Blair, reported that the bolt hit the jet's left wing. The plane did not change course or descend and the pilot reassured passengers that "there's nothing to worry about."
Blair's 10 Downing Street office said it was not aware of the incident.
Blair flew on to the presidential retreat at Camp David for a working dinner with Bush. The two leaders will meet against Thursday to discuss the war in Iraq and plans for the country's future.
Also,
Thu, Feb. 27, 2003
Lightning puts hole in wing of plane carrying Jeb Bush to Orlando
Associated Press
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush's plane was struck by lightning as it traveled from Tallahassee to Orlando on Thursday.
The strike put a hole in one of the Beechcraft King Air's wings, but none of the seven people onboard was injured, said Alia Faraj, a spokeswoman for the governor.
The twin-engine plane, which seats up to 10 people, landed safely in Orlando.
The governor and his staff then took another plane to Miami Beach, where Bush's schedule included a meeting with Manuel Angel Nunez Soto, the governor of the state of Hidalgo in Mexico.
Speaking at the Miami Beach convention center, Bush commented on the lightning strike.
"The weather's very bad between here and Tallahassee," he said. "We got hit by lightning and it put a hole in the wing, apparently, but we landed without incident."
Asked if he was scared, the governor said with a smile, "No, I wasn't scared. Alia, on the other hand, was frightened, paralyzed."
Britain's Press Association news agency said Blair's chartered British Airways Boeing 777 was struck by a lightning bolt as it approached Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland at about 10,000 feet. It landed 20 minutes later, at 5:05 p.m.
Jon Smith, a Press Association reporter traveling with Blair, reported that the bolt hit the jet's left wing. The plane did not change course or descend and the pilot reassured passengers that "there's nothing to worry about."
Blair's 10 Downing Street office said it was not aware of the incident.
Blair flew on to the presidential retreat at Camp David for a working dinner with Bush. The two leaders will meet against Thursday to discuss the war in Iraq and plans for the country's future.
Also,
Thu, Feb. 27, 2003
Lightning puts hole in wing of plane carrying Jeb Bush to Orlando
Associated Press
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush's plane was struck by lightning as it traveled from Tallahassee to Orlando on Thursday.
The strike put a hole in one of the Beechcraft King Air's wings, but none of the seven people onboard was injured, said Alia Faraj, a spokeswoman for the governor.
The twin-engine plane, which seats up to 10 people, landed safely in Orlando.
The governor and his staff then took another plane to Miami Beach, where Bush's schedule included a meeting with Manuel Angel Nunez Soto, the governor of the state of Hidalgo in Mexico.
Speaking at the Miami Beach convention center, Bush commented on the lightning strike.
"The weather's very bad between here and Tallahassee," he said. "We got hit by lightning and it put a hole in the wing, apparently, but we landed without incident."
Asked if he was scared, the governor said with a smile, "No, I wasn't scared. Alia, on the other hand, was frightened, paralyzed."
