Sonali Tiwary
A 35-year-old man died Tuesday morning after being sucked into a plane engine at Milan Bergamo Airport, causing a two-hour shutdown of all flight operations.
The incident happened around 10:20 a.m. local time when the man, identified as Andrea Russo, breached airport security. He reportedly drove the wrong way near the terminal, abandoned his car, entered the arrivals area, and opened a security door leading to aircraft parking zones.
Witnesses said police and airport security chased the man but couldn’t stop him before he reached the active engine of a Volotea Airlines Airbus A319. The aircraft was preparing for departure to Asturias, Spain with 154 passengers and six crew members on board.
“Volotea regrets to confirm that one of its aircraft, flight number V7-3511 from Milan-Bergamo to Asturias, was involved in an incident at Milan-Bergamo Airport,” the airline stated. The company provided psychological support to passengers and crew while working with Italian authorities.
Video footage published by Italian media showed a body bag on the tarmac near the aircraft with emergency responders present. Local media reports suggested the man might have been fleeing from police, while some news agencies indicated suicide was suspected.
The airport immediately suspended all flights until noon. The disruption affected numerous travelers, with 13 departing flights canceled and nine arrivals diverted to nearby airports including Bologna, Milan Malpensa, and Verona. Milan Bergamo is Italy’s third busiest airport, handling over 17 million passengers in 2024.
Public Prosecutor Maurizio Romanelli confirmed an investigation was underway: “We are investigating any possible relationships with the airport or the world of aeroplanes.” Authorities are examining how the man managed to bypass multiple security layers and access the restricted runway area.
The incident raises serious questions about airport security protocols, particularly regarding access control to sensitive zones like runways. Similar tragic events are rare but not unprecedented – in 2023, an airport employee was sucked into a Delta plane engine failure in San Antonio, Texas.
The rescheduled flight to Asturias departed later the same day at 3:55 p.m. local time.
