An 81-year-old man who had just landed from a holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes was tragically killed after he fell from a special high-lift vehicle that was designed to get him safely down to the tarmac.
Also known as an ‘ambulift’ or ‘medical high-lifter’ the vehicle is commonly used when airplanes arrive at a gate which doesn’t have a jetbridge.
While able-bodied passengers deplane via airstairs onto the tarmac before walking into the terminal or getting on waiting busses, an ambulift transports passengers with mobility issues.
The ambulift used to transport James Young and his wife Anne in November 2023, at Edinburgh Airport in Scotland, however, was faulty and, according to investigators, had probably been for some time before the accident.
Edinburgh Airpot has several ambulifts that look like normal trucks that you might see on the road. Unlike a standard truck, however, an ambulift features a special platform that can be elevated to the same level as an aircraft door.
Passengers can walk onto the platform, step free, and are then lowered to the ground below.
Some ambulifts feature a fully enclosed cabin that lifts up to the aircraft, while the one used by Edinburgh Airport has an open tail-lift platform with side safety rails.
As the tail-lift platform was being lowered to the ground with five other passengers, the passenger attempted to pass a piece of hand luggage to a member of ground staff on the tarmac below.
In doing so, he leaned on the side rail, which suddenly swung open. Mr Young only fell about five feet to the ground, and while his injuries weren’t thought to be serious at the time, he was taken to a local hospital for a check-up.
Once at the hospital, it was discovered that Mr Young had been more seriously injured than first thought. A week later, he tragically died in the hospital.
Edinburgh Airport reported the November 23, 2023, incident to the Health & Safety Executive, who opened an investigation and sent experts to assess the ambulift involved in the accident.
They found that the locking mechanism on the safety rail was misaligned, allowing the rail to open outwards if pressure was applied to it. That, in turn, created a gap that someone could fall through.
The investigation resulted in the HSE prosecuting Edinburgh Airport, and the operator ultimately pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
“Edinburgh Airport Limited had a duty to ensure all of its work equipment was maintained in an efficient state and in working order,” explained HSE inspector Jurate Gruzaite.
“The company failed in this duty and had a role in a family tragedy that unfolded the moment Mr and Mrs Young returned from holiday,” Gruzaite continued.
“It is clear that the fault on the ambulift had been in place before Mr Young fell from the platform.”
On June 10, Edinburgh Sheriff Court fined the airport operator £80,000. Gruzaite says she hopes the airline industry can learn from this tragic accident.
Matt’s take
The type of ambulift used by Edinburgh Airport at the time of the accident is now pretty rare, and airports that routinely use ‘remote’ aircraft parking stands without an airbridge have invested in much more advanced high-lifters with fully enclosed cabins.
One of the most advanced ambulifts is the Bulmor SideBall, which was developed in 2022. This type of ambulift is now used at many airports around the world, allowing for one-person operation.
