An Emirates 777-300ER operating flight EK205 returned to Milan about 90 minutes after take-off after suffering substantial hail damage reports AeroNews.
The flight – Dubai-Milan-New York took off from Milan at 2.07 pm local and had reached a height of 15,000ft over the surrounding mountains on route to 32,000ft when it encountered the hail embedded in a storm.
The mountains are in fact the Italian and Swiss Alps and the 777 was tracking to pass to the north of the Matterhorn.
There were violent thunderstorms in central Europe at the time and Zurich was also battered by storms.
The aircraft then returned to Milan but was held in a holding pattern south of the city for almost an hour while the damage was accessed.
The aircraft then returned to Milan but was held in a holding pattern south of the city for almost an hour while the damage was accessed.
There are as yet no reports of injuries.
Photos: twitter.com/VolaMalpensa
