Hong Kong Airport Ground Worker Dies After Being Hit By Plane Upon Falling From A Truck (image@hkairport)
In a rare incident, a Hong Kong airport ground worker was killed after he was hit by a towed aircraft. The incident has caused the arrest for dangerous driving. The unnamed victim, is said to be a 34-year-old Jordanian national.
He was believed to have been riding in the passenger seat of a tow truck when he fell out of the vehicle and was hit by the plane which was being pulled behind it, said police. Emergency workers found the man lying on a taxiway with several grave injuries, as reported by media.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Hong Kong’s airport authority said the man was an employee at ground support and maintenance firm China Aircraft Services. The authority said that it is suspected that the seat belt was left unfastened while the staff was working on the vehicle.
The vehicle’s 60-year-old driver was arrested over the suspicion of dangerous driving causing the death, said the police. He has been arrested and probe into the incident has been ordered. The China Aircraft Services did not respond to the AFP request for comment.
“The Airport Authority expresses sorrow over the death of the airport staff and extends its condolences to the family”, said the authority, and further added that it was in touch with the relevant ground services company to provide assistance to the victim’s family.
Special investigation team of the New Territories South traffic unit is looking into the case. The Airport Air Freight Employees’ Association, which mainly consist of frontline and ground workers, expressed condolences and said that it expects relevant operators or companies to extend help, including financial aid to the victim’s family.
The association also said that it met with authority to emphasis the importance of equipment maintenance and the need to improve safety awareness. It said suggestions were put forward regarding the introduction of smart safety light signals to help remind staff to adhere to protocols, as reported by South China Morning Post.
On December 2023, a recycling employee was killed after being trapped under an abandoned cargo loader near Hong Kong International Airport. Labour rights group expressed their concern over the safety of the workers and highlighted that it had looked into 74 work- work- deaths in 2023 alone.
