Pilots unaware of massive hole left in the nose of plane flying from Iceland to Denver till they land!

Passengers of an Icelandair flight to Denver on Tuesday were left in a bit of shock after their plane was struck by lightning shortly after takeoff.

Though the Boeing 757 continued its 3,700-mile journey from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Denver, it wasn't until the plane landed that passengers and crew were aware of a gaping hole in the nose of the plane.

The hole was at a point in the plane where weather radars are housed, but the plane landed safely in Denver and no one was injured. It is unknown how many people were on board.

Passenger Kyle Hernandez, a member of the band The Bunny Gang, said that the lightning 'shook the plane and it was bright'. 

'Everybody kind of got tense and we all jumped and looked at each other,' Hernandez told FOX31.

His bandmate Nathen Maxwell told the Denver Post that it sounded like a 'bang and a pop'. 

'At some point pretty soon after we left, we got hit. It wasn't at the halfway point,' Maxwell said. 'I thought we'd probably have to go for an emergency landing or turn around, detour or something.' 

Passenger Amanda Boldenow said everyone from the plane immediately walked to the terminal's windows when they arrived in Denver.

'We walked over and everyone is staring at this hole in the nose,' she said. 'Lighting had struck the plane. I had never been in a plane that had been struck by lightning, so I was really startled.'

Aviation experts said that lightning strikes to commercial planes happen one to five times per year, according to 9News, and modern aircraft are equipped to handle these strikes.

Metropolitan State University of Denver aviation professor Jeff Price said that lightning strikes that damage a plane, however, are rare. 

'It could be one of those weird "acts of God" where it hit at the right point. The important thing is the plane landed safely,' Price said. 

A spokesman from Icelandair said that though people were concerned there was no detour, the pilots followed protocol in the situation. 

The spokesman said: 'During departure from Keflavik International Airport the Boeing 757 aircraft used for Icelandair flight 671 was struck by lightning. 

'The aircraft handling characteristics and notification systems were unaffected and the flight continued. 

'Lightning strikes are common and protocol was followed. There was no cause for further concern and the flight landed without issue. This aircraft was replaced upon landing and is being evaluated.'

The plane has been removed from service and will be inspected and repaired and Iceland's FAA equivalent will be responsible of the investigation.   

culled from mailonline