A ground crew worker at Montreal Trudeau International Airport has died hours after being struck by an aircraft that was backing up on a runway, according to Global News. The incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 24, minutes before the flight was set to depart for Paris.
The worker, described by Radio-Canada as a runway marshal in his forties, was transported to hospital with serious injuries, according to Montreal police. Officials later said he was in life-threatening condition before his death.
The aircraft involved was an Airbus A350 operated by French Bee, preparing to depart for Paris Orly Airport. The flight had been scheduled to leave the previous day but was delayed due to a technical problem.
The airport authority confirmed the incident in a statement, saying emergency measures were deployed at around 7:30 p.m. following an 'unfortunate accident involving an aircraft and a member of the airport community.' In a separate statement to Global News, the airport authority said they were deeply saddened by the passing of the employee and that their thoughts were with the victim's loved ones.
French Bee stated that the accident involved the aircraft and a pushback vehicle involved in ground operations. The airline confirmed that passengers and crew members on board were safe and being cared for by French Bee and airport staff.
A passenger on the flight told Radio-Canada that she saw a man pass under the plane while it was moving, and that many passengers were screaming.
The incident disrupted several flights for several hours, but airport operations returned to normal as of Tuesday, Aug. 25.
The investigation has been handed over to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, and the province's workplace safety board, CNESST, is also conducting a separate investigation. Officers and crime scene investigators were on site to determine the cause of the incident.
Officials say staff and passengers who witnessed the event received support resources following the incident.