Pictured: The torn undercarriage of Airbus A330 damaged as Virgin Atlantic pilots landed on runway awash with debris after river burst its banks in Caribbean storm

  • Underside was torn open when pilots landed in treacherous conditions
  • Water, mud and debris lay on runway after nearby river burst its banks
  • Pilots 'given no warning of storm' as they prepared to land in St Lucia

By Sara Smyth for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:


A Virgin Atlantic plane carrying British tourists to a Caribbean island came close to catastrophe when it landed on debris that had washed onto the runway during a storm.

The underside of the aircraft was torn open when pilots landed the plane in treacherous conditions in St Lucia on Christmas Eve.

Water and mud lay on the runway after a nearby river burst its banks.

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But pilots of the Virgin Atlantic plane are said to have been given no warning of the storm as they prepared to land.

One unconfirmed report suggested the plane had hit a large luggage container that had come loose in the storm.

The weather station at Hewanorra International Airport had been washed away in the flood.

Pilots on the Airbus A330 had been given instructions to land when the river ‘Petite Riviere Du Vieux Fort’ suddenly burst its banks.

Escape: One unconfirmed report suggested the plane had hit a large luggage container that had come loose in the storm

Escape: One unconfirmed report suggested the plane had hit a large luggage container that had come loose in the storm

Debris from the flood ripped through parts of the body of the plane and its landing gear sustained ‘substantial damage’.

The pilots managed to bring the aircraft to a stop on the waterlogged runway, and passengers were unharmed.

The return flight that was scheduled to bring Virgin passengers back to the UK was cancelled because of the damaged aircraft.

Passengers were stranded in storm-hit St Lucia until Boxing Day when the airport reopened. 

Danger: Pilots on the Airbus A330 (file picture) had been given instructions to land when the river 'Petite Riviere Du Vieux Fort' suddenly burst its banks

Danger: Pilots on the Airbus A330 (file picture) had been given instructions to land when the river 'Petite Riviere Du Vieux Fort' suddenly burst its banks

A spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said 18 passengers had been on the Airbus when it landed in St Lucia.

An investigation has now been launched to determine what happened.

The flood in St Lucia was caused by a deluge on the Caribbean island when almost 7in of rain fell in the space of 24 hours.

The storm washed away roads and bridges on the island and killed at least six people.

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