The victim, whose name has not yet been made public, was 35 years old. Reports suggest he made his way onto the runway area at Milan Bergamo Airport during the morning hours of July 8, when the horrific event occurred.
According to Bergamo News, a local news outlet, the man arrived at the airport in a car and was later seen near the terminal shortly before 10 a.m. local time.
Officials have since confirmed that the man was not listed as a passenger and had no connection to the airline or airport staff. He wasn’t supposed to be near any aircraft at that time.
The aircraft involved was a Volotea Airbus A319, which was scheduled to depart for Asturias, Spain. The accident happened just as the plane was preparing for takeoff.
Volotea, the airline operating the flight, also released a statement on Twitter, which read: “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.”
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Volotea has stepped in to provide emotional and psychological support for everyone who witnessed the horrifying scene firsthand.
As a result of the emergency, all flight operations at Milan Bergamo Airport were brought to a halt until around midday. Other aircraft were rerouted to different airports while emergency teams responded at the site.
The Lombardy Airports Association also issued a message on Twitter, stating: “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.”
On the ground, police were joined by rescue teams, crime scene experts from the Bergamo Police Headquarters’ Scientific Unit, and local firefighters as they worked to recover the man’s remains from the scene.
Italy’s civil aviation authority, along with law enforcement officials, are now leading a formal investigation. Their primary focus is trying to determine exactly how the victim managed to breach airport security and access the active runway area, according to reporting from The Express.