One of Italy’s busiest airports was shut down on Tuesday morning after a horrific incident in which a person was sucked into the engine of an aircraft that was preparing for takeoff from Milan Bergamo Airport.
The victim is not believed to have been a passenger or a ground worker, but is instead believed to have been a trespasser who broke onto the airfield as Spanish low-cost airline flight Volotea V7-3511 was taxiing to the runway.
Flight Details:
- Airline: Volotea Airlines
- Flight Number: V7-3511 (Milan Bergamo to Asturias)
- Aircraft: A319 (Registration: EC-MTF)
- Engines: 2 CFM 56-5B5/3 engines
At the time, the engines of the Airbus A319 would have been running at such a high speed that the victim was sucked into the left-hand engine as soon as they stepped into the so-called ‘danger zone.’
The operator of Milan Bergamo Airport, SACBO, was forced to immediately suspend operations after the incident occurred shortly after 10 am on July 8.
In a statement posted to the airport’s website, SACBO said: “Flight operations at Milan Bergamo Airport were suspended at 10:20 AM due to a problem that occurred on the taxiway.”
“The cause of the problem is currently under investigation by law enforcement authorities.”
Eyewitness photos from the scene showed several airport firefighting vehicles surrounding the plane and protecting the view of the left-hand engine where the person was sucked in.
As is standard in Europe, passengers onboard the plane would have been required to have their window shades open in preparation for departure, meaning that innocent customers would have seen the aftermath of the gruesome accident.
At least 18 flights were canceled in the wake of the accident. The airport is primarily used by low-cost airlines, with Ryanair flights mostly affected by the airport closure.
Sources claim the man had driven to the airport and broke into the ground floor arrivals area. He then broke through a door that led onto the tarmac as police gave chase.
He then sprinted towards the Volotea Airlines plane and was sucked into the engine before he could be apprehended.
In a statement posted to its official X accounts, Volotea said: “We regret to confirm flight V73511 from BGY-OVD was involved in an incident at Milan-Bergamo Airport at 10:35h.”
“One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured. All 154 passengers and six crew are safe. A new flight is scheduled for 15:55.”
The statement continued: “We are doing everything possible to support the affected passengers and crew, providing them with psychological support, while working in close coordination with the Italian authorities.”
A spokesperson later added: “The company is also providing psychological support to both passengers and crew members involved.”
Deadly Aircraft Accidents Involving People Being Sucked Into Aircraft Engines
Although rare, there have been a number of other incidents in recent years involving people being sucked into aircraft engines.
July 2024: An airport ground worker in Iran was killed when he was sucked into the engine of a Boeing 737 airplane which was undergoing routine maintenance in the Iranian city of Chah Bahar.
According to Iranian authorities, the engineers were carrying out work on the engines with them still running when one of the ground workers stepped into the ‘danger zone’ surrounding the engine.
May 2024: An airport ground employee who was tragically killed after he was sucked into the engine of a KLM CityHopper Embraer regional jet at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Local officials later announced that the young man may have died as a result of suicide. Dutch police refused to provide any further information out of respect of the man’s family and loved ones.
June 2023: In San Antonio, Texas, a local coroner also ruled that an airport ground worker who was ‘ingested’ into the engine of a Delta Air Lines-operated Airbus A319 aircraft died by suicide.
David Renner, 27, was tragically killed after he was sucked into the engine just as the plane was pulling onto its stand at San Antonio International Airport, following a flight from Los Angeles.
December 2022: A baggage handler for a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines WAS killed after being sucked into the jet engine of an Embraer E175LR regional jet at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama on New Year’s Eve.
An investigation later determined that the workers approached the aircraft despite warnings from colleagues not to get too close to the engines as they were running after the plane arrived at its gate.
