A Vietnamese mechanic died after being struck by a lightning bolt while preparing a plane for a flight at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Tuesday.

When the accident occurred at 6:05 pm, it was raining heavily with thunder and lightning bolts, according to Tran Hoai Phuong, director of the Northern Airports Authority.

A lightning bolt struck the airplane parking at Lot. 24, which would serve flight VN7715 from Hanoi to Vinh International Airport, scheduled to take off at 6:10 pm on Tuesday.

At that time, 40-year-old technician N.V.B, an employee of Vietnam Airlines Engineering Company, was cooperating with pilots in switching on the aircraft engine and he was hit by the lightning.

Medical staff at the airport gave him first aid and sent him to a local hospital immediately. However, the mechanic could not make it.

On Tuesday night, a Facebook group of Vietnamese aircraft mechanics changed its cover photo to send condolences to the unlucky mechanic.

Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan has required relevant officials and staff to visit the family of the mechanic and help them with funeral rites.

Airports around the country have reported lightning strikes at airplanes, runways, and parking lots for several times.

Lightning recently hit and deformed the taxiway at Vinh International Airport in north-central Nghe An Province.

At Cat Bi International Airport in northern Hai Phong City, a part of a low-cost carrier's airplane was also damaged by lightning.

This is the first death by lightning to have been reported at Noi Bai International Airport.

According to an expert, engineers and technicians must examine engines and support their colleagues during take-off and landing in any weather conditions.

To avoid lightning strikes, they should use hand signals to communicate instead of headphones.

However, some staff were reported injured due to the effect of electric currents as lightning struck airplanes.

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