In a shocking incident at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, an individual tragically lost their life after becoming ensnared in the running engine of an aircraft. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, has left passengers and employees of the Dutch airline KLM deeply shaken. The identity of the deceased has not yet been disclosed.
The aircraft, a KLM Cityhopper flight, was preparing for takeoff to Billund, Denmark when the horrifying incident unfolded. The plane was filled with passengers, many of whom witnessed the tragic event. "An incident took place at Schiphol today during which a person ended up in a running aircraft engine,” KLM stated. The passengers were swiftly disembarked from the plane and provided with support due to the distressing nature of the incident.
The Dutch military police, responsible for airport security, have launched an investigation into the incident. A spokesperson for the Royal Military Police stated that it was too early to determine whether this was an "incident" or a possible suicide. The passengers will be questioned as part of the investigation, as they could provide valuable insight into the circumstances leading up to the individual's death.
The Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest, expressed its condolences in a statement, saying, "Our thoughts go out to the relatives and we care for the passengers and colleagues who witnessed this." The airport, known for its stringent safety and security measures, handled approximately 5.5 million passengers last month alone.
The Dutch Safety Board has dispatched three investigators to the scene, and workplace standards inspectors from the labour ministry are also examining whether the incident was a workplace accident. The aircraft involved, an Embraer, is operated by KLM on short-haul routes, such as London.
This incident follows similar tragedies in the United States, where an airport worker in Texas died after being "ingested" into an engine at San Antonio International Airport last year, and another worker in Alabama was pulled into an engine in January 2023.
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