Airport Employee Deliberately Jumps Into Jet Engine
On May 30, 2024, a horrific incident occurred at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where an airline employee tragically lost his life. According to Dutch police, the deceased man intentionally climbed into the jet engine of a plane that was preparing for take-off.
Witnesses reported hearing a "hellish noise" before seeing plumes of smoke pouring from the plane as the employee's body was sucked into the engine. The aircraft, a KLM Cityhopper Embraer E190, was carrying more than 80 passengers and was scheduled to depart for Billund, Denmark, at 2:25 pm local time.
The incident happened during the pushback procedure, where the plane was being moved away from its stand and prepared for take-off. Typically, jet engines are surrounded by cones or barriers to prevent people from getting too close, but in this case, the employee managed to climb into the engine.
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee force, who are leading the investigation, stated that the deceased man was an employee of a company operating at the airport and that they believe he intentionally entered the engine, indicating this was a case of suicide.
Over 80 passengers and crew members were removed from the plane and interviewed by military police, as some of them had witnessed the graphic incident. The authorities provided psychological support for the traumatized witnesses.
A replacement flight was arranged later that evening, with a new crew, as the tragic incident had a "major impact" on the earlier staff. Both KLM and the airport expressed their condolences and said they are cooperating with the investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
This incident is not the first of its kind, as similar tragic events have occurred at other airports around the world. In June 2023, an airport worker was killed after being sucked into a plane's engine at San Antonio International Airport in Texas, and in December 2022, an airline worker was tragically killed in a similar incident at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama.
These incidents highlight the importance of strict safety protocols and the need for constant vigilance to prevent such devastating occurrences in the future. The aviation industry must continue to prioritize the well-being and safety of both passengers and employees to ensure such tragedies do not happen again.
