In a freak accident, an aircraft technician died after being sucked into the engine of an Air India aircraft during push back at the Mumbai airport on Wednesday evening.
The mishap occurred when the co-pilot of Mumbai-Hyderabad flight 619 mistook a signal for starting the engine and the victim, Ravi Subramanian, who was standing close, got sucked into it at bay 28 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji domestic airport around 8:40 pm.
Confirming the incident, Air India Chairman Ashwani Lohani said the incident is being investigated.
"During the pushback, 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.
Lohani said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident.
"We are deeply saddened and regret the tragic incident at Mumbai airport when an Air India technician died in a mishap during pushback of flight AI 619. The incident is being investigated. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family," Lohani said.
