Storm Eunice: Powerful winds knock around jetliners over London

Jets struggle to land in rough UK weather

On Friday, tens of thousands of people watched as pilots struggled to get their plans landing safely on the runway at Heathrow Airport during a wind storm that struck London.

LONDON - As Storm Eunice hit the United Kingdom on Friday, powerful winds knocked around several jetliners coming in and out of Heathrow Airport in London.

Video footage shot from the ground shows several planes swaying in the wind as they approached the airport. Several jetliners could be seen aborting their landing and climbing back up into the sky, presumably to try again.

A YouTube channel called Big Jet TV's livestream of shaky jets trying to land at the airport garnered millions of views on Friday, likely due to the compelling visuals coupled with the host's colorful commentary.

British Airways canceled at least 80 flights arriving and departing from London airports, including 44 at Heathrow Airport due to the storm, according to a report.

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The U.K.'s weather service issued a rare Red Weather Warning for southwest England in advance of the storm, saying that wind gusts in excess of 90 mph were possible.

After the storm hit, the weather service reported that a gust provisionally measured at 122 mph was recorded on the Isle of Wight. Weather officials believe it was the strongest wind gust ever recorded in England.

The storm caused mayhem with travel in Britain, shutting the English Channel port of Dover, closing bridges linking England and Wales, and halting most trains in and out of London.

This article was produced in New York with The Associated Press and Storyful.