Photo: A Lufthansa flight from Helsinki to Frankfurt was forced to make an emergency landing due to a damaged engine May, 2013. MARJO KARPPANEN/MV PHOTOS / POLARIS
The state-run National News Agency reported on Tuesday that a Lufthansa aircraft was forced to return to Beirut International Airport after a flock of birds damaged one of its engines.
The agency added that flight 1307, which took off from the airport at 4:48 a.m., was forced to return three minutes after departure.
The pilot informed the airport authorities that he was returning to the facility after the plane faced a flock of birds while flying over the Mediterranean Sea.
The engine incurred great damage and broke down, the agency added.
The plane returned safely to the airport at 5:04 a.m. with its 148 passengers on board.
Three photographers, who happen to be close acquaintances of mine and who are also proud members of Lebanon's Night Collective, were on board that plane. A trip that was set to take them to Iceland where they had planned to shoot the Aurora Borealis has now turned into a nightmare.
Not only did they capture the terrifying moment the engine exploded, they are now dealing with the aftermath and have YET to reach their destination.
To all those who do not realize the gravity of the situation, here is some insight.
Amateur Lebanese photographers are self-financed individuals who save their hard earned dollars -day in, day out- to fund their passion in a country that encourages no such thing.
Taking time off work is costly. Taking the trip is costly. Losing both time and money is hard enough, but losing the chance to shoot the Aurora Borealis and the total eclipse that will occur Friday is an absolute catastrophe.
While the pilot is saluted and his efforts lauded for saving the lives of the passengers, the company’s administration MUST work on its crisis management, to quote the man who filmed the video.
To read more about this story from the photographer’s account, please click on this link.