The French island of Corsica has been rocked by a violent thunderstorm this morning, with winds as strong as 200 kph (136 mph) experienced in some areas. The storm was witnessed at Ajaccio Airport, where gusts of 131 kph (82 mph) shook planes parked on the apron and sent debris flying.In a video shared online, large objects including cargo containers can be seen spinning across the airport, as a pair of Volotea Airbus A319s brace against the storm.
Reports stated that luggage carts and containers had lifted off the ground, and that pieces of the terminal roof were torn off in the winds.
Later, Air Plus News shared photogeaphs of the same Airbus A319 with significant damage to what looks like part of the fuselage, as well as the winglets of the aircraft.
About the damaged plane
Data from FlightRadar24 shows three Volotea A319s arrived into AJA this morning, from Strasbourg, Toulouse and Bordeaux. The first two departed at just before 10AM, while the third, scheduled to leave for Lille, has not yet departed.
The aircraft in question is registered EC-MUX and is a 19-year-old A319ceo, originally built for easyJet. Although not confirmed by the airline, this appears to be the aircraft that was damaged. Simple Flying has reached out to both the airline and the airport for further details.
Other flights had to pause their arrivals for around an hour, with nothing landing in AJA between 10:37 and 11:46. One Air France flight from Paris diverted to Marseilles. Other arrivals were significantly delayed, likely due to having to undertake go-arounds or wait for the winds to drop before attempting an approach.
Lives lost on the island
As well as disruption to air traffic, the storm has cost the lives of at least three people on Corsica. AP News reports that a 13-year-old girl died after a tree fell in a campsite close to the coastal town of Sagone. A 72-year-old woman also lost her life when the roof of a restaurant fell on her vehicle. And a 46-year-old man is said to have been killed on a campsite.
In addition to this, at least a dozen people have been injured in the storm, with one of the 12 said to be in a critical condition in hospital. Some 45,000 households are without power, according to French energy company EDF.
Shipping has also suffered, with rescue operations underway along the western coast of the island to assist grounded and wrecked vessels. Other photos and videos shared on social media show downed trees, flying deckchairs and scenes of carnage and the strong, violent storm wreaked havoc on the island.