An airline ground worker died Friday at San Antonio International Airport after getting sucked into the engine of an arriving plane, authorities said.
Delta Flight 111 arrived in Texas from Los Angeles around 10:30 p.m. Friday. As the Airbus A319 was taxiing to the gate, a ramp worker was “ingested” into the plane’s engine, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The employee, whose name has not been released, worked for Unifi, a company Delta contracts for ground handling operations.
“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,” Unifi said in a statement. “From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies. Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information.”
A spokesperson for Delta told NBC News the company was “grieving” the loss.
“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,” the Delta spokesperson said.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB are investigating this incident.
NBC affiliate WOIA in San Antonio reports the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office on Monday said the worker’s death was ruled a suicide. The station said the office’s doctor “saw signs that pointed to suicide.”
This is the second incident in less than a year where an airline worker was sucked into a plane engine and killed. On Dec. 31, 2022, an Alabama airport employee was pulled into a running jet engine at Montgomery Regional Airport, NBC News reported.
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