An airport worker died Friday after being “choked” in the engine of a Delta plane at San Antonio International Airport, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
Delta Flight 1111 had arrived at the airport and was taxiing to the gate on one engine around 10:25 p.m. when the fatal incident occurred, officials said. The plane, an Airbus A319, had just arrived from Los Angeles International Airport.
The worker was employed by Unifi, a company that Delta contracts with to support groundhandling services. The Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that the victim was an airport apron worker.
“We are heartbroken and mourn the loss of life of a member of the San Antonio aviation family,” said a Delta spokesman. “Our hearts and full support are with her family, friends and loved ones at this difficult time.”
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Unifi said based on its own preliminary investigation, the incident did not appear to be related to any of the company’s operational processes, security procedures or policies.
Officials have not yet publicly identified the victim.
This is the second such incident in six months. A 34-year-old ground crew member was killed after being “choked” into an airplane engine at the Montgomery, Alabama airport late last year. The Occupational Health and Safety Board concluded that the fatal incident could have been avoided if safety measures had been followed.
“Adequate training and enforcement of safety procedures could have prevented this tragedy,” said Jose A. Gonzalez, OSHA’s Mobile, Alabama area director, of the December 31, 2022 incident. “This incident is a tragic reminder that too safety measures must be taken during a routine operation.”
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