Milan Bergamo Airport suspended all flight operations for nearly two hours on Tuesday morning after a man was fatally pulled into the engine of a departing aircraft.
Milan Bergamo Airport/Bahnfrend/Wikimedia Commons
According to Italian news agency ANSA, the man accessed the taxiway and ran toward the aircraft—an Airbus A319 operated by low-cost carrier Volotea—which had just completed boarding for a flight to Asturias, Spain.
Authorities believe he was attempting to take his own life. He was not a passenger or airport staff member.
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According to Corriere della Sera, the 35-year-old man abandoned his car outside the terminal before entering the arrivals area on foot. He reportedly gained access to the runway through a security door and ran toward the Volotea aircraft as it was pushing back for departure.
The airport, located roughly 60 km east of Milan, announced a halt in operations from 10:20 a.m. to noon local time, citing “a problem on the taxiway.” Emergency responders, including police and firefighters, arrived on the scene, and an investigation is underway.
At least eight outbound flights were cancelled, and incoming flights were diverted to nearby airports in Bologna, Verona, and Milan Malpensa. The man’s identity has not been released.
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