Air India employee sucked into aircraft engine

Ravi Subramanian, an Air India technician, died on Wednesday (December 16) after he was sucked into the engine of a parked plane at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. When the Mumbai-Hyderabad flight AI 619 began its pushback at 8.46 pm, Subramanian got pulled into the engine and died instantly. Airport sources say his body is severely mutilated.

The airline has ordered an investigation into the incident. The DGCA also ordered an inquiry. Soon after the terrible accident, an airport official told Hindustan Times: 'The body is still stuck in the engine, efforts are going on to retrieve it.'

It is not yet clear how the worker came to be so close to the engine.

Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said, “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.”

"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.

The Indian Express reports that Subramaniam, 56, was a Vashi resident and worked as a service engineer. His job included disconnecting the pushcart from the aircraft before it moves towards the runway. When the accident happened, an aircraft maintenance engineer was also with him.

The Mumbai Police is also investigating the accident. “Prima facie evidence indicates a case of accidental death, no one appears to be at fault,” Virendra Mishra, zonal DCP, said. A case of accidental death has been registered at the Sahar police station.