An airport ground worker tragically died on New Year’s Eve after getting sucked into a plane engine at the Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, airport authorities confirmed.
The baggage handler died while American Airlines Flight 3408, an Embraer E175, waited at its gate for departure to Dallas-Fort Worth later Saturday afternoon.
“Today around 3 pm an American Airlines ground crew piedmont employee was involved in a fatality, no additional information is available at this time,” the airport tweeted.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased.”
Today around 3 pm an American Airlines ground crew piedmont employee was involved in a fatality, no additional information is available at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased.
— Montgomery Regional Airport (@flymgm) January 1, 2023
Reuters confirmed the baggage handler died in “an accident involving one of the airplane’s engines that was running.”
BREAKING: Baggage-handler fatally sucked into American Airlines jet engine at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama
pic.twitter.com/hIKQlLQYQ8— Intel Point Alert (@IntelPointAlert) January 1, 2023
Via Reuters:
The flight was operated by Envoy Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group.
The airport said a ground crew worker for Piedmont Airlines, another American regional subsidiary, was killed but did not elaborate.
American said in a statement it was devastated by the accident, which it confirmed involved an employee of Piedmont.
“We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time,” the airline said, declining further comment on the active investigation.
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