Two dead as Delta airplane tyre explodes at Atlanta airport

Tuesday, August 27, 2024 - A tragic incident at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport has left two people dead and a third seriously injured after a tyre on a Delta Airlines plane exploded while being removed.

The explosion occurred early Tuesday morning in the Delta TechOps hangar, located near the airport's international terminal.

The explosion took place just after 5 AM, prompting an immediate response from firefighters and police officers to the maintenance area. The victims of the incident have not yet been publicly identified. However, Delta Airlines confirmed that one of the deceased was a Delta employee, while the other was a contractor. The condition of the injured person remains unknown at this time.

Delta Airlines expressed deep sorrow over the tragic event, issuing a statement that conveyed their heartbreak and commitment to supporting the families and coworkers of the victims. "We are heartbroken over this tragedy," Delta stated, "and are providing full support to the victims’ families and our coworkers."

The cause of the explosion remains unclear, but Delta has assured the public that they are cooperating fully with local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct a thorough investigation. The plane involved had most recently completed a flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta on Sunday night.