Two people are dead after a Delta plane’s tires exploded while they were being changed at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
A Delta employee and contractor died at the scene, while a third person was seriously injured.
The incident happened in the maintenance area of ​​the airport on Tuesday at 5 am.
Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all of the airline’s aircraft, and Atlanta is its global headquarters, serving more than 200 routes worldwide.
It is understood that the Boeing 757 arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday night, WSB-TV reported.
Flight Radar tracking data revealed that the plane had completed four short-haul trips on Sunday between Tampa, Atlanta and Las Vegas.
The incident comes just months after another Delta Boeing lost its nose wheel while trying to take off from the same airport.
Two people are dead after a Delta plane’s tires exploded while they were being changed at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
John Laughter, President and Chief Operating Officer of Delta TechOps, issued a note to staff on Tuesday morning acknowledging the tragedy as ‘heartbreaking for all of us.’
He said: ‘I am very saddened to share that three members of the TechOps team were involved in an accident that occurred early this morning at Atlanta … Wheel & Brake Shop.
‘Please put your safety and well-being first – of course, and your leader is here for you. Please keep taking care of yourselves and each other.
‘We are all in this together, and we will get through this by supporting each other.’
Laughter said resources will remain on site to help as long as needed, and direct distressed staff to the HR department, while also offering 24/7 counseling services.
Delta Air Lines said in a statement: “The Delta family is saddened by the loss of two team members and other injuries following this morning’s incident at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.
“We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this very difficult time.
‘The Delta family is grateful for the quick actions of the first responders and the medical team on site.’
Flights in and out of the airport were not affected by the tragedy.
Delta has pledged to work with local authorities as an investigation is launched to determine what went wrong.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens issued a statement Tuesday morning confirming the tragedy and offering his condolences to his loved ones.
He said, “My deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of the Delta employees who have passed away.
My thoughts are with the injured, and I hope for a speedy and full recovery. AFRD, APD, and HJAIA teams are on scene, working hard to deal with the situation.’
Delta Air Lines said in a statement: “The Delta family is saddened by the loss of two team members and other injuries following this morning’s incident at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility”
The tragedy comes just months after a Delta plane took off from the same airport where it lost its nose tire while trying to take off.
The Boeing 757 was scheduled to fly from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta to Bogota, Colombia in January but was delayed due to the incident.
According to the FAA, the nose wheel came out and rolled down the hill as one row and waited to take off.
It also provides the latest alerts on incidents related to Boeing aircraft.
Just last month, a Boeing 737 suddenly plummeted to less than 500 feet from the ground above Oklahoma, terrifying residents who feared the jet was about to crash.
One of the scarier incidents was a door plug that exploded on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 at 16,000 feet this January.
Boeing executives last month accepted a $243.6 million plea deal that would see the company avoid a criminal trial over two deadly 737 Max crashes.
Under the agreement, Boeing will plead guilty to criminal fraud charges stemming from fatal crashes in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia less than five months later that killed 346 people.
Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all of the airline’s aircraft, and Atlanta serves as its global headquarters.
