Man Dies After Jumping Into Plane Engine

A tragic incident happened at Milan Bergamo Airport in Italy on the morning of July 8, 2025. A 35-year-old man died after reportedly throwing himself into the engine of a passenger plane that was preparing for takeoff.

The man, who was not a traveler or employee at the airport, drove into the terminal area, left his car behind, and ran into the building. He managed to access a restricted zone near the runway, even though two border police officers tried to stop him. He escaped their grip and continued running toward the aircraft.

According to reports, he threw himself into one of the engines of a Volotea Airbus A319, which was operating flight V73511 from Milan to Asturias. The engine was already running and spinning at a high speed as the plane had begun the process of leaving its parking position.

Police, including crime scene experts and members of the Flying Squad, arrived quickly to investigate. Firefighters were also at the scene to recover the man’s body. The public prosecutor was present during the investigation.

Following the event, the airline posted on X (formerly Twitter): “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. All 154 passengers and 6 crew are safe. A new flight is scheduled for 15:55.”

Several incoming flights were diverted due to the emergency. One flight went to Bologna, two to Verona, and six were rerouted to Milan Malpensa. Eight flights scheduled to depart were cancelled after airport operations were suspended at 10:20 a.m., though services resumed later.

The airport operator released a brief statement: “An incident occurred on the taxiway, the causes of which are being investigated by law enforcement.”

Earlier, the regional airports association posted on social media: “Traffic to and from #orio #Bgy is suspended due to a serious issue on the apron. Possible delays, diversions, and cancellations throughout the morning. Updates will follow.”

Flight data from the time showed the aircraft had only been moving for less than two minutes before the tragedy occurred.

This isn’t the first time such an incident has happened. In a similar case last year, a mechanic named Abolfazl Amiri died at Chabahar Konarak Airport in Iran when he was sucked into the engine of a Boeing 737-500 while retrieving a tool during maintenance work.

There was also a case in 2023 at San Antonio International Airport in the U.S. A contracted airline worker named David Renner died after being pulled into a Delta Airlines engine. Officials later confirmed he had taken his own life. An autopsy revealed he died from blunt and sharp force injuries. The aircraft had just landed and was moving toward a gate with only one engine running at the time.
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