A tragic event unfolded at Milan Bergamo Airport on July 8 when Andrea Russo, a 35-year-old man from the Bergamo area, was killed after being caught in the engine of a plane preparing to depart. Russo was not a passenger or airport worker.
He reportedly entered the airport illegally by driving against traffic, abandoned his car, and ran into the terminal. There, he opened a security door leading to the aircraft parking zone. Security personnel were unable to stop him as he moved onto the taxiway where a Volotea Airbus A319 was about to take off.
The man was sucked into the plane’s turbofan engine and died instantly. The airport closed operations temporarily, with flights delayed or diverted. Giovanni Sanga, president of the airport operator SACBO, expressed condolences and support for those affected.
Volotea Airlines released a statement expressing deep regret and appreciation for their crew and passengers. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine how Russo accessed the restricted area and what led to the fatal accident.
