Two Jet2 flights forced to divert from Manchester Airport as strong winds cause 'tilting'
Local Facebook users watching the planes posted about how they feared the aircraft were "falling from the sky".
Strong winds have forced planes to divert from Manchester Airport this evening, with pilots performing "go-arounds" due to the severe weather. Jet2 aircraft experienced shaky entries to Manchester this evening, with one flight from Lanzarote seen "tilting" as it flew overhead, forcing the pilot to turn back. The landing was aborted, and the plane was diverted to Birmingham Airport, where it was able to successfully land, while another plane was forced to land hundreds of miles north.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the second flight - from Gran Canaria - ultimately landed 163 miles away in Newcastle.
The publication added that the plane first embarked on a flight path that showed it "circling over the region multiple times".
Airport watchers have commented on the dramatic descents this evening, with members of a local Facebook group tracking the Lanzarote flight from Stockport.
They said they thought the plane, which flew under flight number LS892, was "falling from the sky".
READ MORE: Met Office warns 50mm rain barrage and 60mph winds to hit in hours
Others added that the aircraft appeared to be "tilting left very bad" as they spotted the plane flying low through the skies above south Manchester.
Another said the "really strong" winds in the Shadow Moss neighbourhood had "knocked around" the planes "all afternoon".
A Jet2 spokesman confirmed the flights were diverted due to bad weather in a statement provided to Manchester Evening News.
They added that passengers aboard the diverted flights would receive coach transport back to Manchester.
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The trouble in Manchester comes as the UK experiences widespread severe conditions, with weather warnings in place for several regions in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Yellow alerts issued by the Met Office show chaos on the west coast spreading inland to the Midlands, with Manchester among the areas pelted by wind and rain.
The agency said that low pressure over the Irish Sea would bring a "spell of strong winds" accompanied by "some heavy rain".
Winds gusts have reached between 45mph and 55mph widely, with highs up to 60mph to 65 mph in coastal areas.
The Met Office added that some areas could see wind speeds reach up to 70mph.