Italy's Bergamo airport suspends flights when a person dies after getting sucked into an engine

ROME — The airport in the northern Italian city of Bergamo briefly suspended flights Tuesday due to a runway incident that local media said involved someone running onto the tarmac, getting sucked into an airport engine and dying.

The Bergamo Milan airport authority said all flights were suspended at the Bergamo-Orio al Serio airport from 10:20 a.m. to noon local time “due to a problem that occurred on the taxiway.” An investigation was underway.

Video footage posted on Corriere della Sera's website showed a body bag on the tarmac next to the aircraft, with fire crews nearby.

The newspaper, citing unnamed airport officials, said someone ran onto the tarmac as a plane was taking off, got sucked into the engine and died. The plane, an Airbus A319 of the Volotea airline, was flying from Orio to Asturias, Spain.

LaPresse news agency, quoting unnamed investigators, said suicide was suspected.

The airport's fire station, first aid station and border police refused to comment on the incident.