The man who died after being “sucked into a plane engine” has been identified as authorities attempt to untangle his motivations following the tragic accident yesterday morning.
On Tuesday, 35-year-old Andrea Russo was killed when he seemingly crossed the path of an Airbus A319 that was preparing to take off from Milano Bergamo airport in Italy. All flights were cancelled or delayed as investigators looked into the details of the story.
“We regret to confirm flight V73511 from BGY-OVD was involved in an incident at Milan-Bergamo Airport at 10:35h,” the airline Voltea said in a statement. “One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured. All 154 passengers and six crew are safe. A new flight is scheduled for 15:55.”
Similarly, Lombardy Airports Association wrote on Twitter: “Traffic to and from #orio #Bgy is suspended due to a serious issue on the apron. Possible delays, diversions, and cancellations throughout the morning. Updates will follow.”
According to new details from local news outlets, and as reported on by the MailOnline, Andrea drove into the airport down the wrong side of the road before making his way to a restricted area to access the runway. Airport security did attempt to stop him, but he managed to free himself before “throwing himself into one of the two turbofans.”
In A Bizzare Incident, at
#MilanBergamoAirport , #OrioalSerio #Italian Man got sucked intothe engine of #AirBus A319 of #volotea airlines. The Plane ready to take off for #Asturias #Spain.
How did he get on the Tarmac??
#AirportSecurity #flightemergency #AviationAccident pic.twitter.com/jWUa1aCg74— Dr. Subhash (@Subhash_LiveS) July 8, 2025
It’s not yet clear what Andrea’s motivations were, but Italian officials are conducting a full investigation into the tragic accident.
Someone saw the man being sucked into the plane engine
People from the airport and the flight itself have since come forward, with many detailing the loud noise they heard before being warned, “Don’t look out the windows.”
“Suddenly, we heard a noise and a bang,” one woman told La Nueva España. “Some people saw something through the window and put their hands to their heads. They told us it was best not to look out, because what was happening was very unpleasant. We don’t know exactly what happened.”
Police at Milan Bergamo International Airport told Sky News the person appeared to run on to the runway before voluntarily entering the engine. The 35-year-old man is thought not to be a passenger or employee.https://t.co/GTyXjuwrt0 pic.twitter.com/c8ZZ57hBDi
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 9, 2025
Another man at the airport told La Repubblica that he saw Andrea fleeing from an air steward before the horrific accident took place.
He said: “I wasn’t on that plane, I was boarding another plane next to it and we saw everything. He ran towards the right side. The he ran and [was] sucked by the left side motor. I can’t describe it as pleasant.”
More information is expected to follow as investigators comb through evidence. Most recently, Public Prosecutor Maurizio Romanelli said they were looking into connections between Andrea Russo and the airport.
“We are investigating on any possible relationships with the airport or the world of aeroplanes,” he said. “In the car with which he arrived at the airport, full of all kinds of material, we have not found anything that could provide any kind of explanation.”
Featured image credit: Twitter/Andrea Russo
