A man who was allegedly sucked into a working plane engine in Amsterdam was an employee believed to have climbed inside on purpose, Dutch police said
A man who died at an Amsterdam airport is believed to have deliberately climbed into the plane’s engine, Dutch police have revealed.
The person, who has been identified as a male employee, is said to have boarded the KLM Cityhopper Embraer E190 jet, which was preparing to take off from Schiphol Airport. Passengers and crew members reportedly witnessed the tragic death before emergency services arrived at the scene.
The incident occurred as the KLM plane was being pushed off the stand in preparation for its departure to Denmark. Witnesses said there was an “infernal noise” as the man was sucked into the jet turbine. Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, one person said: “A lot of people saw it happen.”
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, which is leading the investigation, said: “The deceased man has been identified as an employee of a company operating at the airport. The investigation revealed that he deliberately boarded the engine, indicating that this was a case of suicide. Out of respect for the victim and her family, no further statements will be made.”
Images from the scene showed the KLM plane surrounded by fire trucks and ambulances as emergency services rushed to the runway.
The plane, which can carry up to 104 passengers, was scheduled to depart for Billund in Denmark at 2:25 p.m. The crew had just finished giving safety instructions to passengers on board, but then more than 80 people were removed from the plane and interviewed by military police following the horrific incident.
Some of the passengers who watched the moment unfold were considered “important witnesses”, Dutch publication AD said. A police spokesman told the publication: “They may be able to help us with the investigation.” Psychological support has been offered to those who may have been traumatized by what they witnessed.
A replacement flight to the Danish city of Billund was arranged and took off last night at around 9.30pm. A spokesman said the plane was being flown by a different crew as the tragic incident had a “major impact” on the previous staff. In a statement, KLM said: “We are currently looking after the passengers and staff who witnessed the incident at Schiphol. The circumstances are currently being investigated.”
Pilots union VNV said: “Our first concern and thoughts are with those involved and their relatives. We offer our cooperation and expertise in investigating the exact cause.”
Airline KLM said in a statement earlier yesterday: “Today there was a terrible accident in Schiphol where a person ended up in a running aircraft engine. Unfortunately, the man died. We welcome travelers and employees who have seen this in Schiphol. The circumstances are currently under investigation for further information – as soon as it is available – we are appealing to the Royal Military Police.”
On the day of the incident, a statement released by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) read: “Today there was a terrible accident where a person ended up in an aircraft engine. Our thoughts are with the loved ones and we care about the passengers and colleagues who witnessed this. The Royal Military Police are currently investigating.
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