Worker at San Antonio International Airport killed after being ingested into engine

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio International Airport officials are investigating after an airline ground crew member was killed Friday night.

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The National Transportation Safety Board said the incident happened Friday just before 10:30 p.m. as Delta Flight 1111 was arriving at the airport from Los Angeles, according to WOAI. As the plane was taxiing to the gate, a worker was ingested into the engine.

“An accident occurred on the ground at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) tonight that resulted in the fatality of an airline ground crew member. We are deeply saddened by this incident and are working with authorities as they begin their investigation. We will share more information as details become available,” the airport said in a statement obtained by the news outlet.

The worker was employed by a company that Delta Airlines contracts with. That company works with ground handling operations at the airport. Delta in a statement obtained by KENS said that they are supporting the investigation.

“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time,” the airline said in a statement obtained by the news outlet.

Unifi Aviation also released a statement Saturday afternoon, KENS reported.

“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. 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. Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information. While police and other officials continue to investigate this incident, we defer to them on providing further details,” said Unifi Aviation in the statement obtained by the news outlet.

The NTSB is continuing to investigate the incident. The name of the worker has not yet been released.