Video captured the moment the Boeing 777 was struck by lightning right after takeoff

An Air Canada plane was struck by lightning on March 3 while taking off from Vancouver International Airport.

According to the National Weather Service, most airplanes are struck by lightning at least once a year. However, it is rarely recorded on video.

Ethan West is a person who loves taking pictures of airplanes. On March 3, while arriving at Vancouver International Airport, Ethan West saw one of his favorite aircraft models, the Boeing 777-300ER. Right after he started filming the moment the Air Canada plane took off, it was also the moment the Boeing 777-300ER was struck by lightning.

An Air Canada Boeing 777. (Photo: Getty Images).

An Air Canada spokesperson also confirmed to CBC News that a plane departing from Vancouver was struck by lightning on March 3.

They added that the plane then continued its 10-hour journey to Heathrow Airport in London, England and landed safely before being inspected.

Planes suspected or confirmed to have been struck by lightning will have to undergo a mandatory inspection, which could cause flight delays.

The National Weather Service says jetliners should generally avoid thunderstorms as much as possible because they actually often cause lightning strikes : "Their presence causes elevated surrounding electric fields that characterize thunderstorms." storms and create conditions for airborne electrical discharges".

Commercial jets are designed with a number of protective measures to minimize the effects of lightning strikes, such as an additional layer of protection to insulate passengers and internal electronics.

However, sometimes lightning can still damage the fuselage of the plane, as in the case of the American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner damaged by lightning in 2023.

The moment lightning struck the Air Canada plane departing from Vancouver: (Source: Breaking Aviation News & Videos).