"We're aware that one individual has sustained serious injuries involving the aircraft engine. More information soon."
Local media report the victim was a trespasser. According to Corriere della Sera, sources say a man in his mid-thirties ran onto the airport grounds and reached the taxiway where the Volotea Airbus A319ceo was moving for departure. Flightradar24 data showed the jet had recently left its gate, corroborated by videos shared online.
Italy's public broadcaster RAI reported that he may have been evading police when he approached the aircraft. A Reddit user recounted seeing him being ingested into the plane's left-hand engine.
"The captain was visibly shaken and said that the man was fleeing," stated the user, adding emergency services responded promptly to cover his remains while passengers exited through an emergency exit.
The deceased reportedly suffered from diabetes and "relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis."
Flight disruptions followed at Milan Bergamo Airport with at least nine arrivals canceled and 13 departures affected. Eight flights diverted to nearby airports like Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport, and Verona Valerio Catullo Airport.
Among these diversions were five Ryanair flights redirected to Milan-Malpensa; one Boeing 737-800 repositioned back to Milan-Bergamo later in the day. Other diverted flights proceeded on ferry routes or awaited rescheduled departures at various locations including Alghero Fertilia Airport and Tirana International Airport.
The Irish airline's other aircraft continued planned operations elsewhere, including destinations like Kos International Airport and Malta International Airport. An AJet 737-800 also repositioned from Milan-Malpensa back to Milan-Bergamo during this period.
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