Montreal Airport Ground Worker Dies After Being Struck by Plane
- A ground crew worker at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport died after being struck by a reversing Airbus A350 aircraft.
- The victim worked for Samsic, a ground handling company operating at the facility.
- It was preparing for a scheduled departure to Paris when the fatal collision occurred during ground operations, involving both the aircraft and a pushback vehicle.
A ground crew worker at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport died after being struck by a reversing Airbus A350 aircraft. Emergency services rushed to the airfield at approximately 7:30 p.m. following the workplace accident.
Fatal Airfield Impact During Pushback Operations
Medics were unable to save the worker, who was later pronounced dead.
The victim worked for Samsic, a ground handling company operating at the facility. Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), the airport authority, withheld the victim’s identity pending coordination with the coroner’s office.
Delayed French Bee Flight Bound for Paris
The aircraft involved belonged to French Bee. It was preparing for a scheduled departure to Paris when the fatal collision occurred during ground operations, involving both the aircraft and a pushback vehicle.
According to reporting by Radio-Canada, the flight was originally scheduled to leave Montreal on Sunday. It had been postponed to Monday evening before the accident took place.
Airline representatives confirmed that French Bee is fully cooperating with Canadian authorities examining the tragedy.
Federal Labor Inspectors and Safety Boards Deploy
A web of federal and provincial agencies immediately launched inquiries to pinpoint the exact cause of the runway accident. Montreal police transferred lead jurisdiction to Employment and Social Development Canada, the federal agency overseeing labor standards and workplace safety.
Simultaneously, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada dispatched a specialized team of investigators to the site. The provincial coroner’s office also opened an independent mandate to probe the circumstances of the worker’s death.
Airport Leadership Responds to Community Grief
ADM pledged total cooperation with all investigating bodies. In a statement released Tuesday, ADM President and CEO Yves Beauchamp addressed the tragedy directly.
Airport officials moved quickly to deploy support measures for employees and passengers who witnessed the incident on the tarmac.
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