On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, the Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) announced that a tragic incident occurred on a flight that was about to take off from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in the Netherlands. An individual was fatally injured after being sucked into the plane’s engine.
Dutch media reported earlier on Wednesday that the Royal Dutch Military Police (Dutch military police) is currently investigating the incident, but the identity of the victim has not been disclosed yet. It is also unclear whether the victim was a passenger or a crew member.
According to data from the flight tracking website FlightAware, the flight destined for Billund, Denmark was scheduled to depart at 2:25 p.m. local time.
In a statement, the airport authorities expressed, “A terrible incident occurred today, with an individual being sucked into the aircraft engine.”
“We mourn the loss of the victim and offer support to the passengers and colleagues who witnessed this event. The Royal Dutch Military Police is currently conducting an investigation,” the statement read.
A spokesperson for the Royal Dutch Military Police told Reuters that it is too early to determine whether this was an “incident” or a suicide attempt. The spokesperson added that all passengers and crew members have safely disembarked from the aircraft and are important witnesses for the investigation.
The Royal Dutch Airlines, known as KLM, stated in a release that the company is also investigating the incident.
A source from the Royal Dutch Military Police informed The Telegraph that Flight KL1341 was taxiing towards the runway when abnormalities in the engine were noticed just before takeoff, prompting the cancellation of the flight.
The aircraft involved in the incident is a short-haul jet manufactured by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company.
As reported by De Telegraaf, a staff member on the flight mentioned, “As the crew completed the safety instructions, someone jumped into the engine of the aircraft.”
“There was a ‘hellish noise’ at the time, followed by some smoke visible for a brief period,” the media outlet wrote. “Passengers and staff witnessed the event unfold firsthand.”