Day 1 as French President: Lightning Hits His Plane

What a way for Francois Hollande to start his term
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted May 15, 2012 12:30 PM CDT
Day 1 as French President: Lightning Hits Plane
Reporters wait at the chancellery in Berlin for the arrival of new French President Francois Hollande, Tuesday May 15, 2012.   (AP Photo/dapd/Maja Hitij)

Francois Hollande started off his new job as president of France with a bang: His plane was hit by lightning today en route to Germany. It was forced to return to Paris, at which point Hollande boarded a second plane and will be about an hour and a half late for his talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin. No one was hurt, reports the BBC, which also notes that Hollande’s boarding of a new flight proves "his determination to meet with Merkel." (More Francois Hollande stories.)

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