
The Airbus A320 had departed Poland's Katowice-Pyrzowice Airport on April 21 and was en route to an undisclosed location when the aircraft encountered a violent thunderstorm.
The pilot attempted to circumvent the inclement conditions, only to fly straight into an onslaught of hail, which severely battered the aircraft, Jam Press reported. The airline has yet to be identified.
Left with few other options, the pilot made a midair U-turn and returned to its point of departure, landing safely.
However, the airplane didn't emerge from the ice storm unscathed. Footage released by Polish aviation maintenance firm LS Technics showed the extent of the damage, including a fuselage that was pockmarked with craters and a gaping hole in the nose cone.
In several places, the paint had peeled away, exposing the underlying structure.












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