An Air NZ flight was forced to return to Auckland after being struck by lightning. Flight NZ433 was travelling from Auckland to Wellington on Sunday afternoon when a bolt hit the aircraft, creating a flash of light. A passenger told Fairfax the lightning strike was "something aerophobia nightmares are made of". The airline confirmed flight NZ433 was turned back to Auckland on Sunday as a "precautionary measure" following a lightning strike shortly after departure. "When the lightning hit everyone screamed, the light ripped through the aircraft," the passenger told Fairfax.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 10, 2017 21:45 UTC