A 35-year-old man lost his life after being sucked into the engine of a passenger jet on the runway of Milano Bergamo Airport this Tuesday morning (July 8), triggering immediate suspension of all flight operations at one of Italy’s busiest airports.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:20 a.m. local time, just as Volotea flight V73511 was preparing to depart to Asturias, Spain.
Highlights
- A 35-year-old man was fatally sucked into a passenger jet engine at Milano Bergamo Airport on July 8, halting all flight operations.
- The man was not affiliated with the airport or airline and reportedly entered the restricted area after bypassing security.
- Flight operations were suspended from 10:20 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., causing 9 flight diversions and nearly 20 cancellations.
- Authorities are investigating whether the event was accidental or deliberate; no motive or cause has been confirmed yet.
Reports indicate that the man—who has not been publicly identified—was not a passenger, airport worker, or affiliated with the airline.
The tragedy horrified passengers and crew, to the point that the airline had to offer immediate psychological support.
“This is a tragedy no one should ever witness,” one airport worker said. “It was over in seconds, but the impact will last for years.”
A man lost his life after being sucked into the engine of a passenger jet at one of Italy's busiest airports
Image credits: inteltower
The man is believed to have entered the airport illegally by driving against traffic near the facility, abandoning his vehicle, and running into the terminal.
Once inside, he reportedly opened a security door that led directly to the aircraft apron. According to witnesses, police officers chased him across the tarmac but were unable to stop him before the tragedy occurred.
The man sprinted toward the Volotea aircraft as it was completing its pushback maneuver, right before taxiing and takeoff.
Image credits: vanguardintel
Ground personnel are now dealing with the psychological impact of witnessing firsthand how the man ran in front of one of the aircraft’s engines and was sucked in, being torn apart in the process.
In the moments that followed, footage and images from the scene surfaced, showing emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft as firefighters, police, and airport technicians began immediate investigations.
“Flight operations at Milan Bergamo Airport were suspended at 10:20 am due to a problem that occurred on the taxiway,” the airport’s operator said in a public statement.
“The causes of the problem are currently being investigated by the authorities.”
The incident caused the cancellation of 9 flights and the suspension of at least 20
Image credits: Chalabala/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)
The suspension of all flights lasted until noon, causing widespread delays and cancellations. In total, nine flights were diverted, and nearly 20 others were canceled.
Affected routes included Ryanair flights to Crotone, Katowice, Prague, Zadar, Tirana, Kos, Malta, Naples, Porto, Alghero, and Dusseldorf.
One Ryanair flight to Bristol, originally scheduled for 4:25 p.m., was delayed until after midnight.
Image credits: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia
“Volotea is doing everything possible to support the affected passengers at this difficult time, while working in close coordination with the Italian authorities,” the airline stated, recognizing that beyond the annoyance of having their flights diverted, the trauma of witnessing the incident was also a concern.
Volotea confirmed that 154 passengers and six crew members—two pilots and four cabin staff—were on board the plane at the time and were subsequently offered psychological support to deal with the impact of the situation. Beyond that, no one else was reported injured.
Authorities are trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or a deliberate act
Image credits: Pedro Aragão/Wikimedia (Not the actual photo)
The tragedy draws disturbing parallels to a similar event in May 2024, when an airport employee in Amsterdam lost his life after intentionally climbing into a plane’s engine during takeoff.
Milano Bergamo Airport is Italy’s third busiest, serving 17.4 million passengers in 2024, and is a key hub for low-cost carrier Ryanair. It forms part of the Milan airport system alongside Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate.
Authorities are now trying to determine whether the incident was a tragic accident or a deliberate act. While early speculation ranged from mental health concerns to possible foul play, no motive has yet been confirmed.
"Why did he do it?": Netizens were both horrified and confused by the incident
