World · Latin America · 7 hrs ago
Lightning strikes LATAM flight, which lands safely in Santiago
Lightning struck LATAM flight LA341 as it travelled from Antofagasta to Santiago in Chile.
The strike was caught on video and raised concerns among passengers.
The plane landed normally in Santiago, and everyone disembarked safely, LATAM said.
Commercial aircraft are designed and certified to handle lightning strikes.
The plane’s conductive outer body helps direct the electrical current around the outside, protecting people inside and helping shield internal systems.
The aircraft may need technical inspections after a strike to check for damage to its structure or electrical systems.
Design safeguards and maintenance checks help protect passengers when lightning hits an aircraft.
Lightning struck LATAM flight LA341 while it was travelling from Antofagasta to Santiago.
The aircraft landed normally at Santiago Airport, and all passengers disembarked safely.
LATAM said the aircraft is designed and certified to handle lightning strikes and has systems to dissipate the electrical discharge safely.
A passenger recorded the strike, which prompted concern among those on board.
Commercial aircraft may require technical inspections after a lightning strike to check for damage.
- Who
- LATAM flight LA341 and its passengers.
- What
- Lightning struck the aircraft in flight. It landed normally, and all passengers disembarked safely.
- When
- The incident was reported on October 21, 2026; the precise time of the strike is not stated.
- Where
- On the route from Antofagasta to Santiago, Chile; the aircraft landed at Santiago Airport.
- Why
- The sources describe the strike as a weather event but do not state why it occurred at that moment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A passenger-recorded video showed lightning striking flight LA341 as it travelled from Antofagasta to Santiago.
The aircraft landed normally at Santiago Airport, and all passengers disembarked safely.
- Flight
- LA341
- Route
- Antofagasta–Santiago
- Airline
- LATAM
- Landing
- Santiago Airport; landed normally
- Passengers
- All disembarked safely
3 sources
What people are saying
Se trata de un fenómeno meteorológico para el cual las aeronaves están diseñadas y certificadas, y cuentan con sistemas que permiten disipar este tipo de descargas de manera segura
la aeronave aterrizó con normalidad en el Aeropuerto de Santiago y todos los pasajeros desembarcaron de manera segura
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✈️ IMPACTANTE VISTA DESDE EL CIELO || 🌩️Pasajeros de un vuelo de LATAM que cubría la ruta Antofagasta-Santiago, en Chile, fueron testigos de un impresionante rayo mientras el avión se aproximaba a la capital chilena. ⚡ El fenómeno fue observado desde la aeronave y sorprendió a