Man Dies After Climbing Into Plane's Engine At US Airport

A man was discovered dead inside an airplane's engine at Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah, United States, on Monday. The police stated that the man ran past an emergency door, went onto the tarmac and crawled inside the Delta Airlines jet's engine, as per a report in CNN.

The Salt Lake City police department said that officers discovered Kyler Efinger, 30, unconscious in an engine attached to the wing of an aircraft carrying passengers. The engine was running and the plane was parked on a de-icing pad. The medical personnel were not able to revive him. "It is unclear at this time what injuries caused the man's death," the airport said.

The 30-year-old had a boarding pass for a flight to Denver. According to Delta Airlines, Flight 2348, an Airbus A220 scheduled to take off for San Francisco, then made a U-turn and the 95 passengers deplaned at the gate. The flight was later cancelled.

A store manager at the airport contacted 911 to report a disturbance involving a passenger inside a terminal, prompting police to respond to the airport at approximately 10 pm, according to a press release. The inquiry into the disturbance's specifics is still ongoing. The police added that the passenger had gone through the terminal's emergency exit doors and onto the airport's outdoor ramp area.

According to the release, a pilot claimed to have seen the man during the search. Officers also discovered clothing and shoes, among other personal belongings, on one of the runways a while later.

Mr Efinger was at one of the airport's jet de-icing pads when dispatchers informed police about him. He had crawled underneath an aircraft and accessed the engine, according to police. The police requested that air traffic controllers instruct the pilot to turn off the aircraft's engines. However, when the police arrived at the plane, the 30-year-old was found unconscious and "partially inside" one of the plane's wing-mounted engines, which were still rotating. 

"SLCPD officers and Airport Operations pulled the man from the engine's intake cowling, secured the scene, began lifesaving efforts, and requested emergency medical services," the release added. However, Mr Efinger died at the airport and an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

The case is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Security Administration.