Ares:
Harrowing C-17 Ride Over Pakistan
An interesting tale of a harrowing flight for 176 Pakistani flood victims on an C-17 flight to safety is circulating in the Pentagon. Here's how it goes:
The 176 refugees were onboard an Air Force C-17 during a recent flight when lightning struck the aircraft, taking out all four engines and a sizable amount of on-board electronics.
Crew members were apparently able to get two engines back in operation and land the aircraft safely. The aircraft's radome, however, is said by multiple sources to have been "fried" by the lightning strike.
An Air Force official confirms the incident occurred, but said details cannot be provided until a safety investigation is complete.
C-17s began supporting the flood relief operations in August. Also included in the U.S. response are Chinook and H-60 helicopters as well as C-17s.