A man who was said to have been sucked into the engine of a plane in Amsterdam was an employee who is believed to have climbed inside on purpose, Dutch police said.
A man who died at an Amsterdam airport is believed to have deliberately boarded the plane’s engine, Dutch police have revealed.
The individual, who has been identified as a male employee, is said to have boarded the jet engine of a KLM Cityhopper Embraer E190, 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 happened as the KLM plane was leaving the stand in preparation for its departure to Denmark. Witnesses said there was a “sinister noise” as the person was sucked into the plane’s 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 has been identified as an employee of a company operating at the airport. The investigation has revealed that he deliberately climbed onto the motorbike, indicating that it was a case of suicide. From out of respect for the victim and their loved ones, no further statements will be made.”
Footage 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 2.25pm. The crew had just finished giving safety instructions to passengers on board, but more than 80 people were then removed from the plane and interviewed by military police after the horrific incident.
Some of the passengers, who saw the moment unfold, were considered “important witnesses”, Dutch media outlet AD said. A police spokesman told the newspaper: “They may be able to assist us with the investigation.” Psychological support was offered to those who may have been traumatized by what they had seen.
A replacement flight to the Danish city of Billund was arranged and departed last night at around 9.30pm. A spokesman said he was flown by another crew after the tragic incident had a “huge impact” on previous staff. In a statement, KLM said: “We are currently looking after the passengers and employees who witnessed the incident at Schiphol. The circumstances are currently under investigation.”
The VNV pilots’ union said: “Our concern and first thoughts go out to the people involved and their relatives. We offer our cooperation and expertise in investigating the exact cause.”
KLM airline said in a statement earlier yesterday: “Today there was a terrible incident at Schiphol in which a person ended up in a running aircraft engine. Unfortunately the person has died. We acknowledge passengers and employees who witnessed this at Schiphol .The circumstances are currently being investigated for further information – as soon as possible – we refer to the Royal Military Police.
On the day of the incident, a statement released by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) read: “Today a terrible incident occurred where a person ended up in an aircraft engine. Our thoughts go out to the relatives and we take care of the passengers and colleagues who witnessed this. The Royal Military Police are carrying out an investigation.
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