High winds caused a plane to veer off the runway as it attempted to take off at Stornoway Airport on the Isle of Lewis this morning
Four
passengers were injured today after a plane was blown off the runway as
it tried to take off from a remote island airport, as 80mph battered
parts of Scotland.
The
twin-propeller Saab 340 was attempting to take off at Stornoway Airport
on the Isle of Lewis just before 8.30am when strong gusts caused it to
veer off the tarmac and nose-dive into the grass, sparking a major
investigation.
The
Loganair flight, which was carrying 28 people, had been due to fly to
Glasgow at 8.35am but did not take off. The Scottish Ambulance Service
said two people were taken to Western Isles Hospital with minor
injuries.
It
came as a deep Atlantic depression brought 77mph gusts to Machrihanish,
Argyll, while gales of 71mph were detected in Edinburgh. The Stornoway
area had seen gales of around 40mph, while there were also winds of
69mph recorded in Yorkshire.
The incident involving a Saab 340 aircraft operated by Loganair happened at 8.33am today, amid winds of up to 80mph in Scotland
An investigation has now been launched into the incident and a spokesman said normal operations should resume once the plane has been removed from the runway.
In a statement, it said: 'Efforts to remove the aircraft from the runway are ongoing and investigations into the cause of the incident are under way.
'It is it our intention to resume normal operations as soon as the aircraft is safely removed from the runway. There are no scheduled arrivals or departures at Stornoway until later this afternoon.'
Police said two men were taken to hospital, while two women sustained minor injuries, but declined medical assistance.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'A full air accident investigation has now been launched and will be carried out by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch in conjunction with Police Scotland.'
Forecasters say blustery conditions are expected to ease off throughout the day, but that most parts of the UK were whipped by gales of between 40mph and 50mph overnight.
A spokesman for the Met Office said that a wind warning also remains in place for the Shetland Islands, where gales of around 75mph are expected until about 11pm tonight.
Despite the strong gusts, yesterday was one of the warmest New Year's Days on record, with blue skies across most of the country leading to a clear evening. In County Durham, one walker spotted a 'moonbow', a rare natural atmospheric phenomenon in which a rainbow appears at night.
This rare natural atmospheric phenomenon was captured on the North Yorkshire and County Durham border yesterday evening
An almost-complete rainbow was spotted at night near Hutton Magna. It is known as a 'Moonbow'
The phenomenon is caused by the moon's light being reflected and refracted off water droplets in the air
A stunning rainbow shone onto a herd of cows in the Peak District, Derbyshire, as the grey sky loomed behind
The phenomenon, spotted at Hutton Magna, is caused by the moon's light being reflected and refracted off water droplets in the air.
But tonight will see the last of the clear skies, as a band of low-pressure sweeps across the UK tomorrow, bringing up to 15mm of rain across most of Wales and south and central England.
Those living in northern England will escape the worst of the wet weather and could see some sunshine. But forecasters say there could even be some snow on high grounds, including the Lake District, Snowdonia and the Pennines.
Meanwhile, top temperatures will be above average for this time of year, with the mercury expected to reach a balmy 13C in the south west. London, which is around 10C today, will see highs of around 9C, while temperatures could reach 6C in Scotland and up to 7C in northern England.
A couple made the most of the clear blue skies and sunshine in the market town of Helmsley, North Yorkshire this morning
The pair walked their Labrador through Duncombe Park, amid balmy temperatures which are above average for this time of year
There were clear skies and warm temperatures this morning at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, as many parts of the UK were whipped by high winds
Rutting deer were spotted at Chatsworth this morning. Despite cold night-time temperatures, there is no immediate sign of another cold snap
DAILY MAIL