A worker contracted by Delta Airlines died on Friday, June 23, after being sucked into an aircraft engine.
The San Antonio International Airport confirmed the incident, which apparently was a suicide.
The event unfolded at about 10:25 pm. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) authenticated the death of the ground service employee, David Renner, 27 of San Antonio. The local medical examiner later attributed the death to blunt and sharp force injuries and said that Renner had taken his own life. The incident took place as Delta Flight 1111, inbound from Los Angeles, was moving toward its assigned gate.
The NTSB stated that the aircraft had one engine running when the accident happened, leading to the unfortunate worker’s death. The plane, due to the incident, stayed at the gate the next morning, disrupting the airport’s operations. Currently, the NTSB is not investigating since there were no issues with the airplane or the airport.
Unifi Aviation, the employer of the deceased worker, insisted that the event was not related to their safety protocols.
This tragedy adds to the list of numerous ground accidents that have plagued US airports within the last year. Earlier, a ground crew member’s death, similar in nature, resulted in a fine of $15,000 for an American Airlines subsidiary.
