Man enters runway and is killed after running into aircraft engine
Flight operations at Milan Bergamo International Airport were temporarily suspended on Tuesday morning after a man died upon entering the engine of a Volotea aircraft. Authorities confirmed the victim was neither a passenger nor an airport employee.
According to police, the 35-year-old man drove against traffic to access the terminal, then ran through the arrivals area and accessed the runway via an emergency door. He sprinted toward the Volotea aircraft, which was preparing for takeoff to Asturias, Spain, and voluntarily entered one of the running engines.
Security failed to intercept man in time
Eyewitnesses reported that airport security and police pursued the man, but were unable to reach him before the fatal event occurred. The airport suspended all flights from 10:20 a.m. to noon local time while authorities secured the area and began an investigation.
In a public statement, Bergamo Airport described the suspension as a result of “a problem that occurred on the taxiway.” Flights resumed shortly afterward, and the impacted Volotea flight was rescheduled to depart at 3:55 p.m. local time.
Volotea confirms incident, provides support
Volotea, a Spanish low-cost airline, confirmed the incident on social media, stating that one person “not onboard and not affiliated with the company” was seriously injured. The airline emphasized that all 154 passengers and six crew members were unharmed and are receiving psychological support.
“We are doing everything possible to support the affected passengers and crew, while working in close coordination with the Italian authorities,” Volotea said in its statement.
Police are continuing their investigation into how the man breached airport security and what motivated the act.
