A 35-year-old man died Tuesday morning after throwing himself into a passenger jet engine at Milan Bergamo Airport, forcing the suspension of all flight operations for nearly two hours and causing widespread disruption across northern Italy’s aviation network.
The tragedy occurred at 10:35 a.m. local time as Volotea flight V73511, an Airbus A319 carrying 154 passengers and six crew members, was completing pushback procedures in preparation for departure to Asturias, Spain. The aircraft was taxiing from its parking position when the incident unfolded on the tarmac.
According to Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera, the victim entered the airport terminal after driving his vehicle the wrong way down an access road and abandoning it outside the building. Airport sources told local media the man, who was neither a passenger nor an airport employee, then ran through the arrivals area on the ground floor before opening a security door that led directly to the aircraft parking area.
Two Border Police officers on duty attempted to intercept the intruder as he entered the restricted zone, but he managed to break free from their grasp. Witnesses reported seeing police chase the man across the tarmac as he sprinted toward the moving aircraft, but they were unable to stop him before he reached the plane.
The man threw himself into one of the two turbofans,” an airport source told Bergamo News, describing the horrifying moment when the individual was pulled into the engine. The Airbus A319’s engines, which can be either CFM56-5B or IAE V2500 models, operate at speeds approaching 15,000 rotations per minute during ground operations.
Volotea confirmed the incident in a statement posted on social media platform X: “We regret to confirm flight V73511 from BGY-OVD was involved in an incident at Milan-Bergamo Airport at 10:35h. One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured.”
The airline later issued a more detailed statement confirming that “initial findings indicate that, following the incident involving one of the aircraft’s engines, one person who was not onboard the flight and has no affiliation with the company sustained serious injuries.” The company emphasized that all 154 passengers and six crew members were safe but would receive psychological support.
Emergency responders, including firefighters and police units, immediately rushed to the scene. Flying Squad personnel and specialists from the Bergamo Police Headquarters’ Scientific Unit arrived to begin investigations, while firefighters were tasked with the grim duty of recovering the victim’s remains from the engine.
The local prosecutor’s office dispatched a duty prosecutor to oversee the investigation, which is focusing on how the individual gained access to the secure airside area. “The causes of the problem are currently being investigated by the authorities,” airport operator SACBO said in a brief statement.
The incident caused immediate chaos at Italy’s third-busiest airport, which handled 17.4 million passengers in 2024. Operations were suspended from 10:20 a.m. to noon, with devastating effects on the day’s flight schedule. By 11:50 a.m., nine arriving flights had been diverted to alternative airports – one to Bologna, two to Verona, and six to Milan Malpensa.
Eight departing flights were cancelled outright during the closure, while dozens more faced significant delays. According to flight tracking service FlightRadar24, a total of 19 cancellations were recorded throughout the day. A Ryanair flight to Bristol scheduled for 4:25 p.m. was delayed until 12:25 a.m. the following day.
Italian news agency ANSA reported that authorities believe the man intended to take his own life, citing unnamed airport officials familiar with the investigation. The victim’s identity has not been released pending notification of family members.
Volotea arranged alternative transportation for affected passengers, scheduling a replacement flight that departed at 3:55 p.m. local time. “The company is also providing psychological support to both passengers and crew members involved,” the airline stated, adding that it had established a toll-free helpline for family and friends of those onboard.
The tragedy bears disturbing similarities to previous incidents at international airports. In 2023, Delta contractor David Renner died after jumping into an engine at San Antonio International Airport in what was later confirmed as suicide. The National Transportation Safety Board reported that Renner “intentionally stepped in front of the live engine” while the aircraft had just arrived from Los Angeles.
Last year, Iranian mechanic Abolfazl Amiri was killed at Chabahar Konarak airport after being sucked into a Boeing 737-500 engine while retrieving a tool. Unlike Tuesday’s incident in Milan, Amiri’s death was ruled accidental after he entered a safety zone around the running engine during a test procedure.
Milan Bergamo, also known as Orio al Serio Airport, serves as a major hub for budget carriers, particularly Ryanair, which operates one of its three largest bases there alongside Dublin and London Stansted. The airport forms part of the Milan airport system along with Linate and Malpensa, collectively making it Italy’s busiest aviation network.
Security protocols at European airports typically involve multiple layers of access control, including keycard systems, biometric scanners, and regular patrols. The investigation will likely examine how the victim bypassed these measures to reach the active taxiway.
As flight operations gradually returned to normal Tuesday afternoon, questions remained about airport security procedures and mental health support systems. The Lombardy Airports Association, which had warned of “possible delays, diversions, and cancellations throughout the morning,” confirmed that traffic had resumed but advised passengers to check with their airlines for updated flight information.
The incident has reignited discussions about airport perimeter security and the challenge of preventing determined individuals from accessing restricted areas. Aviation security experts note that while airports maintain strict controls for passenger screening, securing vast operational areas remains an ongoing challenge.
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