When disaster occurs, different nations adopt divers approaches. While some go scientific, using time tested empiric formular to solve problems, others tend to go supernatural. Togo (with Ethiopian Airlines) can be put in the second category. When Ethiopian Airlines B787 Dreamliner aircraft was hit by lightning on approach to landing in Lome, the capital of Togo,the authorities decided to act in a jiffy. They invited the traditional authorities to perform rituals to “cleanse the aircraft of evil spirits which they believed caused the incident.’
According to a report by africaexplained, ideally, when a plane is hit by lightning mid-flight “they undergo a thorough inspection after landing and in most cases, the aircraft is either unharmed or sustains only minor damage.”
But for Ethiopian Airlines B787 Dreamliner aircraft, the company, as the report has it, decided to take those inspections a notch further by inviting local voodoo practitioners in the area to perform rituals “to cleanse the aircraft of evil spirits”.
It went further: “The aircraft was reportedly hit by thunder lightning in the Togolese capital Lome on approach to landing.
However, lightning strikes to aircraft are much more common than one might think, experts say.
Planes all over the world get struck by lightning almost daily. An airplane in commercial service is hit by lightning on average once per year.
While some travelers may find the experience unpleasant, modern jetliners are designed to cope with lightning strikes. They go through specific lightning tests to make sure they can withstand hits as part of their certification