Footage of a man being killed by a plane’s engine at the Il Caravaggio International Airport in Italy is circulating. The 35-year-old man was caught on camera sprinting on the runway toward a Volotea Airlines jet after he reportedly broke into the restricted area where an Asturias, Spain, flight was preparing for departure.
Reports say that the man, identified as Andrea Russo, is an Italian builder. Russo reportedly drove to the airport on July 8, ditched his vehicle, and somehow breached the area. Reports say border police initially detained him, but he managed to escape. The circulating footage shows a series of disturbing incidents on the runway leading up to his death.
According to witnesses and the footage, Russo threw himself toward the aircraft on the runway. He was first seen slamming into the engine’s protective casings before he made an attempt to climb it and almost fell. He then moved around to the other side of the plane as airport staff watched in shock. That’s when the horrifying moment occurred.
Reports say he either jumped or was pulled into the aircraft’s left engine, dying instantly. He can be seen falling to the ground after being struck by the engine. At the time of the incident, there were 154 passengers and 6 crew members on board the plane, and no one was harmed in the incident.
The occupants of the aircraft were safely rebooked on another flight later that day. Officials noted that although Russo had previously battled drug addiction, he had been in recovery and had shown signs of wanting to rebuild his life.
Volotea Airlines released a statement confirming that the man was neither a passenger nor a member of airport staff and expressed condolences to his family. An investigation has been launched, and authorities have examined the abandoned vehicle Russo left behind for any clues, but so far, they have found nothing that explains what led to such a tragic and unsettling act.
