Rome — All flight operations at Milan Bergamo Airport were suspended for almost two hours on Tuesday after a man was sucked into the engine of a departing plane and killed, according to the country’s national news agency ANSA.
Police and firefighters responded to the scene at the airport, which is about 37 miles east of Milan, and an investigation was underway to determine exactly what happened, according to ANSA.
The airport confirmed the suspension of traffic “due to a problem that occurred on the taxiway,” in a post on its official social media channels, adding “the causes of the problem are currently being investigated by the authorities.” It said the closure lasted from 10:20 a.m. to noon local time.
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During the suspension, at least eight departing flights were canceled, while arriving flights were diverted to other airports in the region, including those in Bologna, Verona and Milan Malpensa.
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A319 operated by low-cost airline Volotea, for a flight from Bergamo to Asturias, in northern Spain. The incident reportedly occurred shortly after the aircraft completed boarding and was taxiing away from the terminal.
According to ANSA, the victim is believed to have entered the runway with the intent of taking his own life. The man, who was neither a passenger nor an airport employee, eluded security staff and ran toward the aircraft when it was already in motion.
Authorities have not released the person’s identity.
