Tragic Incident at San Antonio Airport: Delta A319 Engine Ingests Ground Crew Worker

A horrifying incident unfolded at San Antonio International Airport in Texas, where a ground crew worker lost their life after being sucked into the engine of a Delta plane.

The tragic incident took place around 10:25 p.m. on Friday as the Airbus A319 aircraft, arriving from Los Angeles, was taxiing towards the gate, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB confirmed that the employee, employed by Delta Air Lines contractor Unifi, was “ingested” into the engine, resulting in a fatal outcome.

Authorities are currently in the process of gathering information about the incident, and the NTSB has initiated contact with Delta to gather relevant details. Witnesses described the scene as tumultuous, with a large tarp placed beneath the engine and a Hazmat crew present during the clean-up operation.

San Antonio International Airport expressed deep sadness over the incident and stated that they are cooperating with authorities in their investigation. Unifi Aviation, the employing company, also expressed profound sorrow and indicated that initial investigations suggest this tragedy was unrelated to their safety procedures.

Respecting the deceased, Unifi refrained from providing additional information and deferred to the ongoing investigation by law enforcement and officials. It is noteworthy that this incident is the second of its kind to occur at a US airport in the past year. Earlier this year, another airline worker, Courtney Edwards, tragically suffered a similar fate when she was “ingested” into an aircraft engine in Alabama.

The shocking event at San Antonio Airport highlights the risks faced by ground crew workers in the aviation industry and underscores the critical importance of maintaining stringent safety protocols to prevent such devastating accidents.