Sucked into Airplane Engine... Tragedy Strikes US Airline Employee

Baggage Handling Worker

Just before the New Year, a tragic accident occurred in the United States where an airline employee was sucked into the engine of an airplane parked on the ground and died.

According to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the 2nd (local time), a ground worker died in an industrial accident at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama. The fatal accident occurred around 3 p.m. on the 31st of last month. An employee of Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, was working near an American Airlines aircraft parked in the airport ramp area when they were sucked into an operating engine.

The deceased employee is known to have been a baggage handler. After the accident, airport operations were suspended for several hours. Arrival and departure flights were controlled for over four hours and resumed normal operations at 8:30 p.m.

American Airlines stated, "We are deeply shocked by the accident our team member experienced," adding, "We will pray for the family of the deceased and other team members, and we will strive to ensure that everyone involved receives the necessary support." The NTSB has begun an investigation into the cause of the accident together with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).