Airline staffer dies after falling off ladder while deboarding plane at Pune Airport; probe launched

“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 registered a case of accidental death pending a probe into the sequence of events that led to his death. “If we receive a complaint or our probe reveals negligence on any person’s or entity’s part, an offence will be registered accordingly. We will record witness statements and look into various leads,” Sonde said.

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.

Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke said that the airline is conducting an inquiry and the authorities will only have details after the report is submitted.

Dhairyashil Vandekar, an aviation expert, said that the incident underlines the need to upgrade medical protocols being followed at airports. “The medical protocol being followed at busy airports in India needs to be urgently revised and upgraded to ensure availability of critical care and EMS in the interest of both passengers and airport staff. Our airport medical centres must be well equipped with focus on ‘golden hour’ response and treatment,” he said.