Airport releases statement after man was 'sucked into plane engine'
Officials have now released further information clarifying exactly what happened at Milano Bergamo airport yesterday, after a man seemingly gained access to the airport's runway and was 'sucked into the plane engine'.
Flight operations at Milano Bergamo airport were either temporarily suspended or completely cancelled yesterday morning at around 10:20 am local time after what was at the time described simply as a 'problem that occurred on the taxiway'.
Emergency services and local authorities were seen attending to the incident, and speculation began to brew that a man had somehow been involved in an accident with a plane's engine.
Plane services resumed as normal within two hours, with the airport confirming that the individual involved was neither an employee or an active passenger.
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Reports have now confirmed that 35-year-old Andrea Russo was the victim of this accident, where he was seemingly sucked into a plane's active engine as it was preparing to take off.
What have officials said about the accident?
As reported by LADbible, Milano Bergamo airport has now issued an official statement following the release of the victims name, revealing that he managed to access and enter the aircraft apron despite attempts to interfere from local law enforcement.
"The person then proceeded to the taxiway, where they approached a stationary commercial aircraft with engines running and tragically lost their life," the statement reads.
Local authorities and SABCO - the company that operates Milano Bergamo airport - are cooperating in order to further investigate the chain of events that led to the accident involving Russo, and they believe that he managed to access the airport by driving down the wrong road and abandoning his car before entering the terminal.
Will there be a further investigation?
The unclear nature and motivations behind Russo's actions right now appear to necessitate further investigation from officials, with Public Prosecutor Maurizio Romanelli outling:
"We are investigating on any possible relationships with the airport or the world of aeroplanes. In the car with which he arrived at the airport, full of all kinds of material, we have not found anything that could provide any kind of explanation."
The President of SABCO, Giovanni Sanga, has illustrated that "today's tragic event has deeply shaken the entire airport community. First and foremost, I express my personal condolences and those of the company to the victim's family, to whom we extend our heartfelt support during this terrible time."
Sanga has also indicated that support and attention will be paid to colleges at the airport who tragically witnessed the incident involving Andrea Russo, who have no doubt been heavily affected by the event and require support and assistance.