Air India technician gets sucked into plane engine, dies

Mumbai

In a freak accident, an aircraft technician died after being sucked into the engine of an Air India aircraft during push back at the Mumbai airport this evening.

The mishap occurred when the co-pilot of Mumbai-Hyderabad flight 619 mistook a signal for starting the engine and the victim, Ravi Subramanian, who was standing close, got sucked into it at bay 28 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji domestic airport around 8:40 pm.

Confirming the incident, Air India Chairman Ashwani Lohani said the incident is being investigated.

“During the pusback, the co-pilot mistook a signal for engine start. As he switched on the engine, it sucked in the technician standing nearby,” Air India sources said.

Lohani said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident.

“We are deeply saddened and regret the tragic incident at Mumbai airport this evening when an Air India technician died in a mishap during pushback of flight AI 619. The incident is being investigated. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” Lohani said.

(Reopens DEL113)

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone VIII) Virendra Mishra said the AI flight was scheduled to depart at 7:30 pm, but was delayed due to some technical reasons.

On being informed about the incident, police rushed to the spot and recovered the technician’s body which was in a very bad shape, he said.

Police have conducted panchnama (spot inspection) and will seek legal opinion before filing a case, the DCP added.

PTI