Two people were killed and a third was seriously injured Tuesday when a tire blew out while being changed on a Delta Air Lines flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The explosion occurred at the airline’s TechOps maintenance facility around 5 a.m., killing two Delta workers and seriously injuring another airline worker. According to USA Today.
The extent of the injuries is not known.
The dead victims have been identified as Mirko Marup, 58, and Luis Aldarondo, 37, both of Georgia. WSB-TV reported.
The tragic accident occurred in the division’s wheel and brake shop, said John Lofter, chief operating officer and president of Delta Tech Ops.
“It is unfortunate that two of our team members have passed away and another team member has been seriously injured,” Lafter said. “We are offering our full support to their families at this difficult time and are conducting an investigation to determine what happened. This news is devastating for all of us.”
Delta expressed its condolences to the victims in a statement issued Tuesday.
“The Delta family is deeply saddened by the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at our Atlanta Technical Operations and Maintenance (TOC 3) facility. We have offered our full support to the family and colleagues during this extremely difficult time,” the airline wrote.
“The Delta family is grateful for the quick response of the rescuers and medical teams on the scene. We are now working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.”
The plane was en route from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Sunday evening, and the cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.
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