Person Sucked Into Plane Engine and Dies at Amsterdam Airport
A person has tragically been sucked into a plane engine and died in a horrific accident at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Accident
The accident happened this afternoon when an Embraer plane operated by KLM was about to depart from Amsterdam Airport.
During pushback, a person standing on the ramp close to the Embraer was sucked into one of the aircraft’s engines.
The person – most likely a ramp agent – died instantly.
Passengers have been disembarked from the aircraft and are being taken care of in the terminal building.
Investigation
The Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMAR), the Dutch Military Police responsible for security at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, confirmed the incident.
They wrote in a statement: “This afternoon an incident happened on the apron of Schiphol, whereby a person ended up into a rotating aircraft engine and died.
“The Marechaussee is starting an investigation.”
The Dutch Safety Board noted that three investigators have been sent to the accident scene.
An airport spokesman said that “our thoughts go out to the relatives” and added that “they provided care for the passengers and colleagues who saw this”.
Plane
According to eyewitness accounts, the accident involved flight KL1341, a KLM Cityhopper flight which was about to depart from Amsterdam to Billund in Denmark.
The flight was operated by an Embraer E190 with tail number PH-EZL.
Reportedly, multiple passengers on board the KLM Embraer witnessed the tragic accident unfold before their eyes.
Eyewitnesses spoke of a “loud noise” and saw smoke coming out of one engine for a short while.
According to reports in De Telegraaf, the largest newspaper of the Netherlands, a cabin crew member witnessed a person “jumping into the aircraft engine” right after they finished the safety briefing on board, which would point at a possible suicide.
This has however not yet been confirmed by investigators or the police.
In 2023, an airport worker committed suicide by jumping in front of the engine of an arriving Delta Air Lines flight at San Antonio Airport in Texas.
