On Thursday, a security guard for AIX Connect, formerly known as Air Asia, died after falling while deboarding a jet from the back door at Pune airport. The airline stated that it has initiated an investigation and is in contact with the family of the deceased employee to offer support.
The event occurred at 6.20 a.m., while Pune-Delhi aircraft I5-767 was prepared to depart from Pune International Airport.
“The deceased staffer was standing on the ladder which was attached to the rear side door of the aeroplane, according to the primary information available. When the ladder was being removed, the staffer fell down and sustained grievous injuries, we have been told. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead,” Senior Inspector Vilas Sonde from Vimantal police station said.
The police have opened an accidental death investigation investigating the series of circumstances that led to his death. “If we receive a complaint or our investigation reveals negligence on the part of any person or entity, an offence will be registered.” “We will take witness statements and investigate various leads,” Sonde added.
A statement from an AIX Connect spokesperson said, “We regret to inform all concerned that one of our employees lost life while performing duties at the Pune Airport. At this point, our immediate focus is on providing his family with all the support needed.”
“We shall be carrying out a thorough investigation. We are working with the authorities to determine the cause of the accident and ensure that any gaps are bridged. The health and safety of our guests and employees is our primary priority in all our operations,” the statement added.
An aerobridge is attached to the front door of the aircraft from where all the passengers board. A step ladder is generally used at the rear end for the service staff involved in cleaning etc. The incident likely occurred when the security agent entered the aircraft from the rear end using the ladder to check if the cleaning staff had deboarded as the aircraft prepared to take off and the security agent was exiting the plane.