6 flights diverted after Goa airport runway affected by lightning strike

Panaji: Six flights have been diverted after lightning struck the Manohar International Airport (MIA) in Goa and caused damage to the runway edge lights, an official said.

Lightning struck the airport, located at Mopa in North Goa, at around 5.15 pm on Wednesday, a spokesperson of the MIA said in a statement.

"MIA took NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) up to 8 pm by which time the damaged lights were rectified to bring the airport operations to normalcy," he said.

During NOTAM, six flights were diverted to nearby destinations, the official said.

"Inconvenience caused to the passengers is sincerely regretted. Such natural calamities are beyond human control," he added.

Apart from the MIA, the coastal state has another airport at Dabolim in South Goa.