The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the incident, which occurred on Friday.
In a devastating event at San Antonio International Airport, an airport worker lost his life after being “ingested” into the engine of a Delta plane
Delta Flight 1111 had just arrived from Los Angeles International Airport and was taxiing to the gate on a single engine at approximately 10:25 p.m. Authorities have determined that the worker’s death was a suicide, as confirmed by the Bexar County Coroner’s Office on Monday. Consequently, the NTSB has announced that it will not pursue further investigation into the matter. An NTSB spokesperson clarified that there were no safety concerns related to the airplane or the airport operations.
The unfortunate victim was an airport ramp worker employed by Unifi, a company contracted by Delta to provide ground-handling services. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the deceased as an airport ramp worker on Friday.
Delta expressed its deep sorrow over the incident, extending its condolences and support to the family, friends, and loved ones of the worker during this difficult time
Unifi, following its preliminary investigation, stated that the incident did not appear to be linked to the company’s operational processes, safety procedures, or policies. This distressing event bears similarity to a previous occurrence at Montgomery, Alabama’s airport, where a ground crew worker lost his life after being “ingested” into a plane engine six months ago. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) determined that adherence to safety protocols could have prevented that incident, emphasizing the importance of proper training and enforcement to ensure safety even during routine assignments.
The San Antonio airport tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the need for constant vigilance and adherence to safety measures in aviation operations.