A man was killed in the engine of a plane at San Antonio International Airport in Texas on June 23, according to numerous media reports.
The man, who was an employee of Unifi Aviation and has not been publicly identified, had been sucked into the plane's single engine while Delta Flight 111 approached the gate.
Passengers were aboard the plane, having just arrived from Los Angeles, during the incident.
Emergency crews attended the scene, according to local news outlet Daily Star, but there was nothing that could be done to save the man.
The aircraft, which was a twin-jet Airbus A319, according to the Daily Star, was grounded for the day after the incident.
An investigation has been launched to understand how the situation occured.
Officials' reactions to the death
“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio," a Delta Airlines spokesperson is cited as saying in relation to the incident.
“Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.”
“Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023," said a spokesman for Unifi Aviation. “Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time.”
"From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi's operational processes, safety procedures and policies," Unifi Aviation said in an official statement.