A worker died after being “swallowed” in a plane’s engine at San Antonio Airport

An airport worker died Friday after being “swallowed” by the engine of a Delta Airlines plane at San Antonio International Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

Officials said Delta Flight 1111 had arrived at the airport and was on its way to the gate with one engine around 10:25 p.m. when the fatal crash occurred. The plane, an Airbus A319, had just arrived from Los Angeles International Airport.

The worker was employed by Unifi, a company that Delta contracts to support ground handling operations. The FAA said Friday that the victim was an airport ramp operator.

“We are saddened and saddened by the loss of the life of a member of the San Antonio aviation family,” a Delta spokesperson said. “Our thoughts and full support are with their families, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Univi said that based on their initial investigation, the incident did not appear to be related to the company’s operational processes, safety procedures or policies.

Officials have not publicly identified the victim.

This is the second type of such incident in six months. He is 34 years old Ground crew operator He was killed after being “swallowed” by a plane’s engine at Montgomery, Alabama airport late last year. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that the fatal accident could have been avoided if safety procedures had been followed.

“Proper training and enforcement of safety measures could have prevented this tragedy,” OSHA District Administrator Jose A. Gonzalez in Mobile, Alabama said of the December 31, 2022 incident. “This incident is a tragic reminder that safety measures must be in place even for a routine mission.”