A newly released video captures a tragic incident at Denver International Airport where a person walked into the path of an oncoming passenger plane, resulting in their death and forcing the evacuation of the aircraft. The infrared footage, released by Denver's Department of Aviation, shows the individual maintaining a steady gait and speed as they approached the runway and stepped directly into the path of a Frontier Airlines plane at 11:19 p.m. on Friday.
Details of the Incident
The person continued walking as the plane's front wheels passed over them. They then disappeared from view as a large explosion erupted in the center of the plane's fuselage. Authorities confirmed that the collision sparked an engine fire, leading to the evacuation of the Los Angeles-bound flight.
Victim and Perimeter Breach
The individual, who is not believed to be an airport employee and had not been publicly identified as of Monday, allegedly jumped a perimeter fence at the airport and was struck just two minutes later, according to a statement from the airport on Saturday. The airport expressed deep sadness over the incident and extended sympathies to those affected.
Injuries and Response
A dozen people on the plane reported minor injuries, with five transported to local hospitals. A former Denver police officer who worked at the airport told CBS News that concerns about breaches at that specific perimeter had been raised for years due to the time it would take for an officer to respond. “When I was there, it was a vulnerability point, and it needed to be addressed,” they said. “It’s too bad that something like this has to happen before they do something that could have been done years ago.”
The airport’s police department referred questions about the incident to the airport’s media department, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
