In a terrifying incident on the morning of July 8, 2025, air traffic at Milan–Bergamo’s Orio al Serio Airport was brought to a standstill when a man—neither a ticketed passenger nor a member of airport staff—gained unauthorized access to the apron area and was tragically killed after being sucked into the engine of a taxiing Volotea flight bound for Asturias, Spain.
According to reports by ANSA and the UK’s New York Post, local authorities have identified the deceased as 35-year-old Andrea Russo, hailing from a small town roughly 10 miles from the airport. The investigation indicates that Russo drove into the airport compound under suspicious circumstances, abandoning his car in a lot. He then breached security, sprinting onto the tarmac toward the rear of an Airbus A319, believed to be performing a pushback toward the runway.
Witnesses described a horrifying scene: airport personnel gave chase, but Russo reached the aircraft just as its left engine was generating thrust. Those nearby saw him rush at one engine and disappear into its turbine moments later . One passenger recounted: “At first he threw himself against the casings… then he went around and either threw himself or was sucked into the impeller of the left engine”.
The airport operator, SACBO, confirmed that all flight operations were suspended from approximately 10:20 a.m. local time until around 12:00 p.m., disrupting nearly two hours’ worth of departures and arrivals. As many as 19 flights were canceled or diverted, with at least nine rerouted to nearby airports including Bologna, Verona, and Milan Malpensa. Footage from the scene, captured by news outlets, showed emergency responders working next to the aircraft with a body bag in view.
Volotea, the budget airline operating flight V7‑3511, confirmed the severity of the incident in a statement, emphasizing that the man was not associated with their airline. The Airbus A319, which had 154 passengers and six crew members on board, was fully boarded and taxiing when the tragedy struck. The airline has offered rebooking and psychological support for passengers and crew, while also establishing helplines for families and friends.
According to People magazine and other outlets, officials consider suicide to be the likely cause of the incident—no note or conclusive motive has been discovered in Russo’s car or nearby. Russo reportedly had a past history of drug addiction and had stayed in a recovery facility, but available evidence has yet to reveal a trigger for his actions.
The airport community has been deeply affected. Giuseppe Sanga, president of SACBO, described the atmosphere as “deeply shaken” and said support is being provided to colleagues, crew, and passengers who witnessed the event. Meanwhile, local police and aviation authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine how such a severe breach of security was possible and to explore any mental state or motive behind Russo’s actions .
Milan–Bergamo is Italy’s third-busiest airport, handling over 17 million passengers annually and serving as a major European budget carrier hub. The shocking incident adds to a rare but alarming list of events worldwide in which individuals have been sucked into aircraft engines—underscoring serious concerns about perimeter security, mental health awareness, and safety protocols during ground operations.
As of Tuesday afternoon, flights at Milan–Bergamo had resumed, although continuing delays were reported as airlines worked to manage the backlog. Authorities have not yet released a final conclusion on the motivations behind the tragedy but have emphasized that preventing a recurrence is of utmost priority.
