A worker died last week after being “ingested” into an airplane engine at San Antonio International Airport.
Shortly after Delta Flight 111 arrived at the airport from Los Angeles around 10:30 p.m. Central time, a worker on the tarmac was “ingested” into the plane’s engine as it was taxiing to the gate, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The Bexar County medical examiner ruled the death as a suicide on Monday, according to News 4 San Antonio.
The name of the 27-year-old worker was not released. The person was employed by Unifi, a company that performs ground operations at airports and is contracted by Delta at the airport.
“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,” Delta said in a statement, according to NBC News.
Unifi said, based on its initial investigation, the incident was not related to the company’s operational processes, safety procedures or policies.
The NTSB said it was investigating the incident.
Courtney Edwards, a ground crew worker, was killed on New Year’s Eve 2022 in a similar incident at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama.
Last week, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration fined Piedmont Airlines, Edwards’ employer and a subsidiary of American Airlines, for a number of safety failures that led to her death.
“Proper training and enforcement of safety procedures could have prevented this tragedy,” OSHA said.
The airline is contesting the $15,625 penalty.
