The National Transportation Safety Board is gathering information about an emergency evacuation at Denver International Airport after a Frontier Airlines jet struck and killed a person on the runway during takeoff Friday night.
The Airbus A321 was bound for Los Angeles when it hit the individual at approximately 11:19 pm during departure. Passengers evacuated using emergency slides and were bused back to the terminal. Twelve passengers sustained minor injuries, with five requiring hospitalization.
The evacuation itself sparked complaints from some travelers. Multiple passengers reported remaining inside the aircraft for several minutes as smoke built up in the cabin before being left outdoors on the tarmac in cold conditions, raising questions about emergency procedures and passenger safety.
"We are gathering information about the emergency evacuation to determine if it meets criteria for a safety investigation," NTSB spokesperson Sarah Taylor Sulick said Sunday.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy characterized the deceased as a trespasser who had breached airport security. He stated the individual "deliberately scaled a permit fence and ran out on to a runway" before being struck by the aircraft at high speed. The security breach investigation will be led by local law enforcement with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration.
Frontier reported the aircraft carried 224 passengers and seven crew members. "We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities," the airline said in a statement.
Video footage circulating on social media, apparently recorded by a passenger, captured the moment of impact along with sounds of a loud crash and people screaming.
The incident comes one day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed Thursday night at Orlando International Airport in Florida. The worker died after being struck by a vehicle near a jet bridge attached to an aircraft with passengers aboard.
Author James Rodriguez: "Two airport worker fatalities in consecutive days signals serious gaps in airfield security and ground operations protocols that regulators need to address now."
Comments