Man dies after being sucked into jet engine at Italian airport

Man dies after being sucked into jet engine at Milan airport

A man died after being sucked into the engine of a aircraft at Milan Bergamo Airport in northern Italy on Tuesday morning, July 8, according to Italian news reports. (Credit: A man died after being sucked into the engine of a aircraft at Milan Bergamo Airport in northern Italy on Tuesday morning, July 8, according to Italian news reports.)

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A man died after being sucked into an aircraft engine at the Milan Bergamo Airport Tuesday morning. 

What happened? 

Dig deeper:

At about 10:35 a.m. on July 8, a man, identified as 35-year-old Andrea Russo, ran onto the runway toward a Volotea Airlines jet.

The flight was about to take off for Spain before Russo was dragged and sucked into the plane’s engine, according to People.

Russo was not an employee or a passenger, the airport said. He was from a small town about 10 miles from the airport, according to a New York Post report.

Russo allegedly drove to the airport in the wrong direction before abandoning his car and running into the airport. He then burst through a security door and onto the runway before he was killed. 

FILE - Still image taken from video of the aftermath after a man allegedly jumped in front of a jet engine and died by suicide. (Credit: Zeeshan Afridi via Storyful)

Local perspective:

Footage captured by Zeeshan Afridi, whose flight to Ireland was delayed due to the incident, showed ambulances, fire crews and shuttle buses next to the Volotea aircraft on the runway following the tragedy. 

What they're saying:

It is believed Russo ran in front of the engine on purpose in order to take his own life, according to local news media.

The backstory:

Russo had been struggling with drug addiction and was previously admitted to a recovery center before his death, police said, according to Italy’s national news agency ANSA.