A RYANAIR flight was clipped by another plane this morning as both prepared to take off from London Stansted Airport. The Sun reports that the aircraft, set to fly to Dublin as hundreds head to Ireland today to vote in the abortion referendum, was hit by a Primera plane.

The wing of a Primera flight to Malaga clipped the tail of a stationary Dublin-bound Ryanair aircraft as they were both on the taxiway.

Genevieve Hulme Beaman, aged 29, from Dublin, told the Independent: “My whole reason to get home is to vote, so as long as I get home to vote it’s fine.

“You can vote until 10pm. I wanted to be there to support the women there, I have a lot of friends who are very emotional today and they could do with the support. It’s not ideal to be here. I booked this early flight to be there for the whole day.”

An airport spokesman said both planes were required to return to the stand after the “minor airfield incident” at around 9.15am today.

The clipped wing of a plane after a collision at Stansted this morning

A fire engine rushed to the planes on the tarmac after a Ryanair flight was clipped by another aircraft

“No injuries have been reported and no evacuation was required from either aircraft,” the spokesman added.

“As a precaution, airfield operations were briefly suspended, but all flights have now resumed.”

The Irish polls officially open today, with many citizens around the world flying home to cast their votes.

They are voting on a referendum on whether to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the constitution, which prevents the Irish Government from legalising the procedure.

Another Irish passenger hoping to get back in time to vote said she was “extremely annoyed” by the delay.