'Lucky to be alive': Bono and four friends cheated death when the rear door of the private jet they were in fell off as they flew 8,000ft over the German coast

Bono and four friends cheated death yesterday when a rear door of their private jet fell off mid-flight.

The Irish rock star was on board the Learjet 60 D-CGEO making the two-hour afternoon trip from Dublin to Berlin.

He was the only member of U2 on the plane, as bandmates Larry Mullen, the Edge and Adam Clayton were due to fly separately late last night.

The group were lined up to accept an award at the Bambi International Music awards in Berlin, but Bono flew out early to attend a diplomatic function with the German minister of economic cooperation and development, Gerd Mueller.

But when Bono and his crew reached the German coast, flying at about 8,000ft, the tailgate of the plane became detached.

A source close to the singer 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.

‘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.’

Aviation authorities in Germany have launched an official probe into the incident as it began its descent into Berlin's Schoenefeld Airport.

His £50million Learjet 60 was preparing for landing when at 12.27pm on Wednesday an 80 x 100 cm chunk of its door was ripped off.

The door was outside the pressurised area of the cabin so there was no loss of pressure and no need to don oxygen masks.

It's understood no MAYDAY was sent off as the plane landed minutes later.

On Thursday morning officials from the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Investigations Office were with police officers scouring fields around the area of Ostprignitz-Ruppin, some five miles from the airport looking for Bono's luggage and material from the plane which would aid into the probe about how the accident occurred.

Airport spokesman Ralf Kunkel said: 'The jet landed safely and, according to our knowledge, there was no danger of a crash.'

Bono and the band appeared later on Wednesday night performing for a host of celebrities at the Bambi movie awards in the centre of Berlin.

Just an hour after the accident Bono met with Germany's development minister Gerd Mueller at his ministry in the centre of the capital to discuss overseas aid projects.

German authorities at the airport confirmed the private jet landed with damage to its tailgate, which they believe happened mid-flight from Dublin to Berlin.

'Big thud': German authorities at the airport confirmed the private jet landed with damage to its tailgate

Bono is due to fly to the US later this week where he will appear with U2 on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show.

A spokesman for the band had no comment when contacted last night.