A commuter aircraft was flying through fog and torrential rain, when the pilot told air traffic controllers that the aircraft had been hit by lightning.

It is more easily seen from an aircraft flying over a sunlit layer of clouds.

French reconnaissance aircraft flew dangerously low trying to see what was happening on the ground, with 20 of the planes crashing or hit by artillery fire.

The airline has begun training volunteers from other areas of the business to work as crew and keep aircraft flying.