Man dies after being sucked into plane engine at Italian airport

A man died after being sucked into the engine of a plane preparing to take off at Bergamo Airport in northern Italy, authorities say. Photo / aviationbrk via X

A man died after being sucked into the engine of a plane preparing to take off at Bergamo Airport in northern Italy Tuesday, an airport spokesperson told AFP.

The victim, who was “neither a passenger nor an airport employee”, forced his way on to the runway, where he was “pursued” in vain by airport security, said the spokesperson for airport management company SACBO.

According to Italy’s Corriere della Sera daily, the man was a 35-year-old Italian. It said he burst into the airport, then used an emergency exit to rush on to the runway toward an aircraft preparing for take-off.

Earlier in the day, Spanish airline Volotea wrote on social media that its flight from Bergamo to Asturias in Spain was involved in an “incident” at 10.35am (0835 GMT).

According to media reports, a person was sucked into the engine of an aircraft taxiing for takeoff at Milan Bergamo Airport. The accident occurred at 10:38 local time. It is currently unclear why the person was on the taxiway. pic.twitter.com/B5WPt2s025

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) July 8, 2025

“One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured. All 154 passengers and six crew are safe,” it said on X.

“We are doing everything possible to support the affected passengers and crew, providing them with psychological support, while working in close coordination with the Italian authorities.”

A person has been sucked into an aircraft engine on the taxiway at Milan Bergamo Airport in Italy on Tuesday morning, the country's media reported.

SACBO, the airport's operator, said flights were suspended at 10:20 a.m. local time "due to a problem that occurred on the… pic.twitter.com/heyFgR8x2W

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) July 8, 2025

The plane was an Airbus A319, according to tracking website Flightradar24.

Flights were suspended at Bergamo Airport, Italy’s third largest by passenger volume, following the incident, but resumed at midday, according to SACBO.

-Agence France-Presse