Delta plane from Puerto Rico flies directly into Hurricane Irma

It's the viral image that has jaws dropping and passengers pretty thankful to be alive.

Pretty much everyone, except storm chasers, run from hurricanes. But one commercial airline pilot flew straight at the one of the most powerful ones ever recorded.

Nearly 200 passengers were on board when Delta Flight 302 flew towards and through category 5 Hurricane Irma.

It was the last flight out of San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday before 185mph winds forced the airport to shut down.

So how did they get through it? The pilot flew between the outer band of Irma and the core of the hurricane, aking it New York's JFK airport in under three and half hours safe, sound and in one piece.

People followed the flight real-time on Twitter, some amazed they would take this kind of risk.

It's called threading the needle, as they flew right through the tiny safety zone with the eye of the storm staring them down.

Delta says all was under control, with the pilot and the meteorologists all watching each second and each move.

----------

Send a breaking news alert
Report a correction or typo
Learn more about the 6abc apps