A flight from Los Angeles had just landed at San Antonio International Airport about 10:30 pm on Friday and while it was taxiing, a worker on the ground was “ingested” into an engine, the National Transportation Safety Board told local media in a statement.

The plane belongs to Delta Air Lines, and the Board said it is communicating with the airline as they investigate the deadly incident.

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The worker was employed by Unifi, a company that Delta contracts out to.

“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio,” Delta said in an email.

“Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Unifi Aviation said in a statement that the “incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies.”

“Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time,” the company said, according to the outlet.

The airport said that it is deeply saddened by the incident and will release more information when it’s available.

-with AAP

Supported by the Government of South Australia