Newly released surveillance footage captures the final moments before a man was fatally sucked into the engine of a Frontier Airlines plane at Denver International Airport. The incident occurred late Friday night when the man allegedly breached security and walked onto an active runway.
Authorities said the man climbed over the airport's perimeter fence before making his way onto the runway. The video shows him walking across the tarmac and stepping directly into the path of the moving aircraft as it accelerated for takeoff. Flight tracking data suggests the Airbus A321neo was traveling at nearly 224 km/h at the time of impact.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the breach, stating that the trespasser deliberately scaled a fence and ran onto the runway. Air traffic control audio reveals the pilot aborting takeoff and reporting that the aircraft had struck a person, with an engine fire visible.
The pilot reported 231 souls on board and 21,320 pounds of fuel remaining. Passengers were evacuated using emergency slides, and 12 people suffered minor injuries, with five transported to local hospitals. The victim has not yet been publicly identified, and the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating.
