A terrifying accident at Montreal’s main airport left a ground worker seriously injured Monday night after he was struck by a passenger plane as it was being pushed away from the gate.
The unidentified airport marshaller was working near a French Bee Airbus A350 at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport when he reportedly tripped and ended up in the path of the moving aircraft.
The plane was preparing to depart for Paris when the frightening incident unfolded.
One woman who witnessed the chaos told Radio-Canada that the worker appeared to go underneath the aircraft as it was moving.
“Many travelers were screaming,” she said.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene and surrounded the plane as the injured worker was taken to a hospital.
Montreal police confirmed the man suffered serious injuries but did not immediately release further information about his condition.
The French Bee flight had been scheduled to leave Montreal for Paris Orly Airport at about 6 p.m. Monday, but the accident caused a major delay.
The aircraft remained on the ground for hours before finally departing sometime after midnight Tuesday.
French Bee confirmed that an incident involving its aircraft had taken place but said investigators were still trying to determine exactly what happened.
“The precise circumstances of the incident have not yet been established,” the airline said in a statement.
French Bee added that it was cooperating with Canadian authorities and other parties involved in the investigation.
“The airline’s immediate priority is caring for those affected by the incident and supporting its passengers and crew,” the company said.
The dramatic accident highlights the dangers faced by airport ground crews, who routinely work just feet away from massive aircraft as they are pushed back, refueled and prepared for takeoff.
Authorities have not yet said whether any mechanical issue or procedural failure contributed to the accident.
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