On July 3, 2024, aviation technician Abolfazl Amiri died in a tragic accident at Chabahar Konarak Airport in southern Iran. Amiri was conducting routine maintenance on a Boeing 737-500 when he was drawn into the aircraft’s right-wing engine during a test run.
Amiri, a local employee for Varesh Airlines, was working on the aircraft that had arrived from Tehran at 7:15 a.m. As per standard procedures, a secure area was established around the engine, and the protective flaps were left open during the test. Amiri was unfortunately drawn into the turbine engine, which subsequently ignited, when he went to retrieve a tool he had forgotten near the engine.
Emergency services arrived swiftly on the scene and managed to douse the flames, but were only able to retrieve Amiri’s remains from the damaged engine. The incident is under investigation by the Iranian aviation authority, and the aircraft has been taken out of service for a complete inspection.
This incident is not an anomaly and underscores the peril of working near or on a jet engine.
In May 2024, a similar tragedy occurred at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport when an individual was sucked into a KLM Embraer 190 engine during a pushback process. The onboard passengers and crew reported hearing a horrifying noise and seeing thick black smoke emanating from the engine. Legal authorities postulate that this was a deliberate act of suicide.
In December 2022, airline worker Courtney Edwards, 34, tragically lost her life when she was sucked into an Embraer E175 engine while performing her duties. Her death highlighted the crucial importance of stringent safety protocols around these powerful engines.
Earlier, in June 2022, 27-year-old David Renner was also killed after being drawn into a Delta Airlines plane engine at San Antonio International Airport, Texas. His death was determined to be a suicide.