Most people understand the dangers of getting too close to an aircraftâespecially its powerful jet engines, which can turn deadly in an instant. Yet, despite the risks, tragedies still happen.
And now, itâs happened again â in a way thatâs left both airport staff and travelers in shock.
Pulled into one of the engines
On the morning of July 8, tragedy struck at Milan Bergamo Airport when a 35-year-old man was killed in a horrifying accident after being sucked into a jet engine.
The incident shocked both airport staff and passengers, grounding flights and prompting an urgent investigation by Italian authorities.
According to local reports from Bergamo News, the manâ who has not been publicly named â arrived at the airport in a vehicle before somehow breaching security and making his way into a restricted area on the tarmac.
Just before 10:35 a.m. local time, as a Volotea Airbus A319 prepared for takeoff to Oviedo, Spain, the man was pulled into one of the aircraftâs turbofan engines during a âpushbackâ maneuver. The airportâs managing company, Sacbo, confirmed in a statement that the âincident occurred on the taxiwayâ and that it is currently âbeing investigated by police.â
Volotea Airlines released a statement on X, writing: âWe regret to confirm flight V73511 from BGY-OVD was involved in an incident at Milan-Bergamo Airport at 10:35h. One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured.â
Neither a passenger nor an airport employee
They further added: âAll 154 passengers and 6 crew are safe. A new flight is scheduled for 15:55.â
Authorities confirmed the victim was neither a passenger nor an airport employee, and itâs still unclear how he managed to bypass security to access such a high-risk area. The man is believed to have abandoned his car in front of the airport, forced open a secured door, and then ran toward a plane that was preparing for takeoff.
According to ANSA, authorities believe the victim may have accessed the runway with the intention of ending his own life.
The horrifying event led to a complete suspension of airport operations until noon, with at least 19 flights either delayed or diverted.
Emergency responders, police investigators, and specialists from Bergamoâs Scientific Unit worked together to secure the scene and recover the victimâs remains. Firefighters also assisted as details about the manâs movements before the incident began to emerge.
According to the Daily Mail, the aircraftâs engines can spin at a rate of nearly 15,000 rotations per minute, a level of force that would be fatal within seconds. Investigators from Italyâs civil aviation authority are now focusing on how the man gained access to the runway undetected.
A red Fiat 500
As per Bergamo News, the victim was reportedly an Italian national who was neither a passenger nor an airport employee. Police have been focusing their investigation on a red Fiat 500 that was abandoned in the airportâs internal parking area, near where buses are typically stationed. Authorities believe the 35-year-old man used that car to reach the Orio al Serio Airport.
Airport sources say the man appeared to take a wrong turn at a roundabout, stopped the vehicle abruptly, opened the door, and began running.
Officers nearby noticed something was off, and one of them gave chase. The man then entered the arrivals area and forced open a security door, which gave him direct access to the runway. Moments later, the tragedy occurred.
Psychological support is being offered to both passengers and crew who witnessed the traumatic event. The airport and airline have pledged full cooperation as authorities continue to piece together what led to the deadly breach in safety.