A ground crew worker at the Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama has died after reportedly getting sucked into an aircraft engine.
The tragedy occurred in the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, with the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) saying that the unnamed worker, an employee of American Airlines’ regional subsidiary Piedmont Airlines, was “ingested into the engine,” according to media reports.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our local team members. We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time,” American Airlines said in a statement.
The NTSB and the US Federal Aviation Administration have already moved to investigate the incident.