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The U2 frontman escaped unharmed
U2 frontman Bono had a lucky escape yesterday, when the rear door of their private jet fell off midway through a flight from Dublin to Berlin.
The U2 frontman was on board a Learjet 60 D-CGEO heading to Berlin from Dublin where U2 were due to collect an award at the Bambi Awards, and Bono was due to meet German minister Gerd Mueller to discuss overseas aid. Bono was travelling separately from his bandmates who were due to arrive on a later flight.
However when Bono's jet reached the German coast, flying at about 8,000ft, the tailgate of the plane became detached. A source told the Irish Daily Mail: "He was extremely lucky, the plane could have gone down. About an hour into the journey they heard a big thud coming from the rear of the plane.
"They were startled for a bit but they continued on and made the descent into Berlin airport. When they landed they were horrified to learn that the compartment at the rear of the plane had completely detached."
They added: "The entire door along with Bono and his companions’ luggage had fallen out mid-air. They don’t know if the door and the contents landed over water or land but they were extremely lucky. They were at an altitude where anything could have happened and they are all feeling very lucky to be alive"
The door was outside the pressurised area of the cabin so there was no loss of pressure and no need to don oxygen masks.
Aviation authorities in Germany are now investigating the incident and the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigations Office are currently searching the areas around the airport for clues to the cause of the crash and the missing luggage. Airport spokesman Ralf Kunkel said: 'The jet landed safely and, according to our knowledge, there was no danger of a crash.'
Despite the accident U2 both performed at the Bambi Awards and Bono also attended the meeting with Mueller.
Although no tour dates have been announced, U2 recently teased the possibility of doing two types of show when they eventually tour Songs of Innocence, one acoustic and one electric. Adam Clayton told Rolling Stone: "There is talk of doing two different kinds of shows,” he continued, “One night would be a kind of loud, explosive rock’n’roll kind of event and then the other night’s show take the acoustic arrangements of some of the songs, and kind of present those songs in a much more intimate way. But we don’t really know how that’s going to sound and look.”
The massive claw that is the focal point of the 2009 360degrees World Tour. Three different claw stage structures, which each costing between £15 million and £20 million, are being used by the band around the globe.
Bono magnified on the surround screen on the claw at the San Siro Stadium in Italy. The singer has enthused that the in-the-round set-up allows the band to get closer to the crowd and also get more people into the stadia.
U2's Zoo TV Tour of 1992-93 featured hundreds of video screens, upside-down cars and array of other bewildering features - extravagant is an understatement.
In 1997 the band headed out on the ambitious PopMart tour, one that dwarfed the Zoo TV Tour four years previous. A 100ft tall golden arch, a 150ft video screen and a giant rotating lemon were just some of the features of the gargantuan stage set-up.
Adam Clayton's signature orange boiler suit and mask combo on the PopMart tour.
Stage hands start work the lengthy preparations for the PopMart tour.
Bono reaching out to the crowd at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985. One of the defining performances of the historic day, U2 performed two songs, 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and 'Bad' – the later of which was interspersed with snippets of 'Satellite Of Love', 'Ruby Tuesday', 'Sympathy For The Devil' and 'Walk On The Wild Side'.
Live on the Elevation tour in 2001 supporting 'All That You Can't Leave Behind'. A break from the norm, the band returned to arenas instead of stadiums for the first time in years. As a result, the stage set was less elaborate than fans have come to expect.
The Edge gets close to the crowd on the 2005 Vertigo Tour in Manchester. The stage set-up was designed by architect Mark Fisher and featured an ellipse shaped ramp which allowed the band to walk into the crowd. Lucky VIPs could even get inside the ellipse – an area dubbed 'The Bomb Shelter'.
U2 in front of the huge backdrop used on the 2005/2006 'Vertigo' tour.
The Edge strutting his stuff on the Vertigo Tour at Twickenham Stadium, West London in 2006.
A more unusual setting for a U2 show – on the back of a truck promoting 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' in 2004.
An ingenious album publicity stunt, crowds pack both sides of the River Liffy in Dublin to catch a glimpse of U2 performing on top of the Clarence Hotel in September 2001.
U2 on top of their self-owned Clarence Hotel waiting to perform live. The short set was broadcast on Top of the Pops on the BBC.
Madison Square Garden in New York on the Vertigo Tour. The stage was scaled down for the arena leg of the jaunt in keeping with the more intimate shows.
More about: U2
Photo: Wenn
