Tragedy struck in Bangkok earlier today as an airport worker was crushed to death by a Boeing 737. The incident, involving a Nok Air aircraft, injured one other person.

Unfortunately, a member of the airport staff at Don Mueang International Airport was killed this morning in an accident at work. The tragic accident happened as he was pushing back a Boeing 737. Reports seem to indicate that the bar in between the aircraft and the tow truck snapped. Video of the incident appears to show that, while the tow truck came to a halt, the aircraft continued moving forward.

What happened?

Nok Air flight DD6458 was due to fly from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat at around 8 am local time this morning. However, the flight was delayed due to the incident. According to reporting by the Daily Mail, There were no passengers on board at the time of the accident.

Instead, the Boeing 737, featuring a brightly colored livery, was being towed to the gate before its first service of the day. When the truck towing the aircraft came to a halt, the aircraft appeared to carry straight on. As a result, the truck ended up crushed underneath the aircraft’s belly.

The airport’s director, Samphan Khutharanon told that,

“The towing device that connects the vehicle to the plane broke, causing it to stop while the plane continued moving forward.”

One death reported

There were two people on board the truck at the time of the incident. Thanisorn Oncha-am was one of those onboard. While the airport worker initially survived the incident, he was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Another member of staff was also on the truck, and was reportedly injured in the collision. However, it appears that the second individual has survived.

Simple Flying was unable to contact Nok Air regarding the incident. However, in a statement to the Daily Mail, the airline said,

“One member of ground staff in the tow truck was seriously injured and died at the hospital and another injured officer has been taken to the hospital. The airline will provide assistance in terms of financial remedies for the family of the victim and continue to take good care of the family’s mental state.”

Following the incident, the Boeing 737 remained on the ground for an investigation to take place. It will also be assessed for damage. A replacement aircraft was used for the flight to Nakhon Si Thammarat. The flight, which was due to depart at 08:40 ended up taking off at 09:50.

Simple Flying expresses its condolences those affected by today's incident.

Did you witness the tragedy in Bangkok this morning? What do you make of the incident? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.