GOAL will today make a second attempt to fly a 16 1/2-tonne load of humanitarian aid into Tirana after the plane carrying the supplies was struck by lightning over the Albanian capital and had to be diverted.
The specially-commissioned flight was just 8,500 feet above the city, preparing for its final approach, when a lightning bolt struck the plane's nose sending a violent shudder through the aircraft. While no serious damage was caused, the flight was diverted away from the stormy weather to Athens as a precaution.
GOAL's Assistant Director, Mr Mick Kiely, said the aid agency had received NATO clearance to land the flight today. Saturday's lightning strike occurred when the plane was travelling through a hail storm just 10 minutes from the ground. It had been circling in the airspace over Tirana, also occupied by German fighter aircraft and American Hercules planes, awaiting permission to descend.
From the cockpit, the bolt was seen coming from the right, landing in the centre of the nose-cone like a stone block on the bonnet of a car.
Along with the flash came a splatter of black liquid onto the windscreen - paint burned from the body of the plane. Flt Capt John Murray, from Carrigaline, Co Cork, and his crew made an emergency check of communications and radar equipment. All of it seemed to be still intact.
However, while a doubt remained, the risk of landing in an airport with an unreliable communications system, and under severe strain due to the current demand for landing space, was seen to be too great.
The approach was aborted and the flight - ironically numbered 999 by the freight airline company taking the load - was diverted to Greece. "That was only the second time I've been hit by lightning. It was quite a vicious strike," said Capt Murray, who raised £3,000 through the Lions Club in Co Cork to help fund the GOAL air drop.
Mr Kiely, who saw the flash from the cargo hold, said: "I thought it was anti-aircraft fire at first. But then I looked out the window and realised we were too high."
On touching down, engineers located superficial damage to the roof of the Boeing 727 where the electric charge had exited.
GOAL has been allocated two provisional times to land the flight today: 10 a.m. or 4 p.m. Competition for airspace against military planes and low-flying helicopters means that failure to arrive exactly on time could lead to a further frustrating delay. "We're very disappointed we couldn't get the supplies in, especially as we were so close," said Mr Kiely. Such setbacks, he said, however, came with the territory. The plane's cargo includes 3 1/2 tonnes of high energy biscuits, 100 large tents, 600 blankets, 600 sleeping mats, collapsible water and fuel drums and hygiene kits. Costing £55,000, or roughly a quarter of what GOAL has raised through public donations for Kosovo, the load will provide relief to 2,0002,500 refugees.
The delivery is the first of many GOAL hopes to make having agreed with the UNHCR to provide 20 tonnes of supplies a week for the foreseeable future. Already, it has trucked more than 50 tonnes of locally-sourced food to Kukes. It is eagerly awaiting the arrival in the region of four Irish Army officers, promised by the Government, to assist with logistics.
A second GOAL operation is due to be set up on the outskirts of Tirana in the coming days.