Person killed by jet engine at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport

A person has been killed after ending up in the running aircraft engine of a KLM passenger jet at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

The death happened as the KL1341 flight was getting ready to fly to Billund, Denmark, on Wednesday afternoon.

The airline said it was taking care of passengers and employees who witnessed the incident and it was investigating.

Netherland’s royal military police also said it had started an investigation.

Royal Netherlands Marechaussee force added in a post on X that all passengers and employees had been removed from the flight.

The deceased has not yet been identified and it is too early to say whether it was an “incident” or a form of suicide, a spokesperson told Reuters new agency.

But various Dutch media outlets have reported it could be an employee involved in pushing back an airplane before it takes off.

Pictures obtained by Dutch national broadcaster NOS show emergency services surrounding the passenger jet on the airport’s apron – where aircraft are parked.

According to reports, the aircraft involved was a short-haul Embraer jet used by KLM’s Cityhopper service operating flights between nearby destinations within Europe.

An anonymous employee told the De Telegraaf newspaper during the incident someone jumped into the engine after the crew had just completed safety instructions – causing a “hellish noise” and smoke.

Schiphol airport said: “Our thoughts go out to the [deceased’s] relatives and we care for the passengers and colleagues who saw this.”

Reacting to the news, Infrastructure Minister Mark Harbers said on X: “Terrible news about a fatal accident today at Schiphol.”

The Dutch Safety Board said it was on its way to the airport to investigate.

The Dutch Association of Aviation Technicians (NVLT) said its thoughts were with those involved and the deceased’s relatives.

Schiphol is one of Europe’s busiest hub airports. It made headlines last week when rapper Nicki Minaj was arrested there.

Almost 5.5 million passengers used the airport last month, according to its website.

Last year a 27-year-old airport employee died after being sucked into a Delta passenger plane engine in San Antonio, Texas.