Aeroplane powered by sunlight takes off from New York’s JFK Airport to begin perilous 90 hour Atlantic crossing
Solar Impulse 2 sets course for Spain during latest leg of historic light-powered around the world voyage
The light-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft has taken off from New York to begin a long and dangerous journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
It set off from JFK Airport at 6.30 BST to complete "the first transatlantic solar and electric crossing with zero fuel and zero emissions", with pilot Bertrand Piccard at the controls.
The pioneering craft was deigned to become the first aeroplane to travel around the world using solar power in place of fuel, but its journey has been dogged with delays and setbacks.
Solar Impulse 2 was forced to wait out the winter in Hawaii after it smashed the record for the longest uninterrupted flight in history during a 118 hour journey from Japan in June last year.
The aircraft's batteries overheated and had to be replaced, leaving it grounded until April 2016.
Is mission then began again with a flight to Mountain View, the Californian home of Google.