A ground crew member contracted by Delta Airlines tragically lost their life after being pulled into an aircraft engine at San Antonio International Airport.
The worker was on the airport's tarmac and was horrifically "ingested" into the engine of a Delta plane on Friday, June 23.
The New York Post reported that emergency services rushed to the scene, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the fatal incident, describing the worker as having been "ingested" into the plane's engine.
The aircraft, Delta Flight 1111, had just arrived from Los Angeles and was taxiing to the gate when the accident took place. While the identity of the worker has yet to be released, NTSB disclosed in a statement to KENS5 that the plane was taxiing with one engine on when the unfortunate incident occurred at 10:25PM.
As the investigation into the ground crew member's death continues, the NTSB has been in communication with Delta Airlines. "They are in the information gathering process at this point,” the Transportation Board added.
The deceased worker was employed by Unifi Aviation, a company that outsources workers to airlines like Delta for ground handling operations. Responding to the incident, Unifi Aviation released a statement on Saturday expressing deep sorrow for the loss.
The statement reads: "Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023.
"Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time.”
The company stressed that its initial investigation found no links between the tragic death and the operational safety measures they have in place.
Delta Airlines, too, offered their condolences in a statement obtained by KENS5, saying, "We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.”
This heartbreaking incident forms part of a series of ground accidents at US airports. On New Year's Eve, a similar occurrence saw a ground crew worker for an American Airlines subsidiary fatally pulled into an airplane engine.
The victim, 34-year-old mom of three Courtney Edwards, was tragically pulled into the engine of an Embraer E175, American Airlines Flight 3408, while it was parked at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama.
That incident led to a $15,000 fine for the airline and investigations into potential safety breaches, per The Mirror.
