Andrea Russo, Italian man kills self after throwing himself into departing Volotea plane jet engine after entering Milan airport, passing security and running onto the tarmac. Suicidal man had been trying to ‘reclaim’ his life after former drug addiction.
An Italian man killed himself by throwing himself into a passenger jet engine at Milan international airport as a plane prepared to take off Tuesday morning.
Andrea Russo, 35, from Calcinate near Bergamo, who was not a passenger or airport staff member at Milan Bergamo Airport, reportedly entered the terminal in his his red Fiat 500 car car before alighting from the vehicle and running into the building.
Suicidal Italian man had struggled with drug addiction
Italian media reported the man having arrived without a ticket and making his way to a restricted area leading to the runway before two Border Police on duty attempted to stop him.
He managed to free himself from the officers before running onto the tarmac and ‘throwing himself into one of the two turbofans’ on the Volotea Airbus A319 flight V73511 from Milan to Austurias, Spain.
Flightradar24 data showsflight V73511 from Milan to Austurias was on the move for only one minute and 55 seconds before the ‘accident’ occurred, the dailymail reported.
On the scene, police officers were joined by Flying Squad personnel and specialists within the Bergamo Police Headquarters’ Scientific Unit, who were in charge of the investigations. The prosecutor on duty from the Prosecutor’s Office was also present.
Police sources said the man had a history of ‘drug problems‘ with Italian media reporting Russo had spent time in rehabilitation centers, and having recovered in recent years.
According to those who knew him he was a ‘good person trying to rebuild his life.’
A man who witnessed the ‘traumatic’ incident told Italian news outlet La Repubblica that he saw the man running away from a steward and towards the aircraft.
‘I wasn’t on that plane, I was boarding another plane next to it and we saw everything’, he said.
‘He ran towards the right side. The he ran and [was] sucked by the left side motor.’
‘I can’t describe it as pleasant’, he added.
Volotea release statement following Milan airport suicide
The plane, which has engines that can spin at nearly 15,000 rotations per minute, reportedly completing the ‘pushback’ move to exit the parking area before Russo throwing himself into one of the jet engines.
Not immediately clear is why suicidal man had chosen such a macabre form of self annihilation.
Posted Voltea on X in the aftermath: ‘We regret to confirm flight V73511 from BGY-OVD was involved in an incident at Milan-Bergamo Airport at 10:35h.
‘One person not onboard and not affiliated with the company was seriously injured.
‘All 154 passengers and 6 crew are safe. A new flight is scheduled for 15:55’.
Stated Public Prosecutor Maurizio Romanelli: ‘We are investigating on any possible relationships with the airport or the world of aeroplanes.
‘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.’
Flights scheduled to arrive at the airport, which is one of Italy‘s biggest – were diverted this morning following the ‘fatal accident’.
