A Delta Airlines worker at Orlando International Airport died Thursday night when a vehicle struck a jet bridge next to a plane with passengers on board. A report from the Ninth Circuit Medical Examiner’s Office determined Friday that the death was accidental and the 49-year-old Orlando man who worked for the airline died of multiple blunt impact injuries. After the incident occurred, passengers on Flight 2593 were escorted off the plane by way of the airstairs near the rear of the plane and down to the tarmac. “Just be careful, OK,” said a Delta employee as passenger Jacqueline Einfeldt was walking down the stairs and recording the event on her cellphone. The time was just before 11 p.m. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed an area where the Federal Aviation Administration later reported that a vehicle that moves planes, called a “tug,” struck the jet bridge. Passengers on other Delta flights taxiing toward gate 78, who provided WESH 2 News with their videos and pictures, were delayed. “I assumed it was probably a training exercise, right, and then the pilot kind of surprisingly came and made an announcement, and I figured that’s what the announcement was going to be,” said Scott Endsley of Lake Alfred. He said the pilot announced that a serious incident had occurred, and he later learned a Delta worker had died. Endsley added, “So, yeah, hearing that that actually happened was kind of sad and kind of a weird feeling.” “When the pilot came on and said that we would be holding (back from the gate), that’s when I knew it wasn’t a drill,” said another passenger who lives in Orlando and who wished not to be identified. He’s a frequent flyer who was on another Delta plane that had just landed, and was stunned to learn of the Delta worker’s death.“Those teams that work together are really close, and you know, anytime someone loses their life, it’s just a shame,” the passenger said. Delta statement Morgan Durrant of Delta Air Lines provided WESH 2 with this statement: “The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of a team member while on the job at Orlando International Airport on the evening of May 7. We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time. We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.” Greater Orlando Aviation Authority spokesperson Angela Starke told WESH 2, “The MCO community is deeply saddened about the loss of an airport staff member, and we send our condolences to his friends and family.” Luis Toribio, a personal injury attorney, said the incident could in part be viewed as a workplace injury. “Even though it was at the airport, it was at a worksite,” he said. “So similar or the same laws apply whether it is at the airport or it is at the gym, it’s a workplace nonetheless.”He said when investigating injuries like these, there are multiple factors at play. “They’ll look into how the incident happened, and they’ll look into several of the factors I mentioned. The tug involved, the jet bridge involved, how were those items maintained, when was the last time they were maintained, were there protocols and procedures in place for proper use of all of these machineries? Was the person properly trained in the use of these machineries?” he said. Orlando police declined to comment on the death investigation. WESH 2 is not identifying the Delta employee because the medical examiner’s office has yet to confirm notification of next of kin.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

A Delta Airlines worker at Orlando International Airport died Thursday night when a vehicle struck a jet bridge next to a plane with passengers on board.

A report from the Ninth Circuit Medical Examiner’s Office determined Friday that the death was accidental and the 49-year-old Orlando man who worked for the airline died of multiple blunt impact injuries.

After the incident occurred, passengers on Flight 2593 were escorted off the plane by way of the airstairs near the rear of the plane and down to the tarmac.

“Just be careful, OK,” said a Delta employee as passenger Jacqueline Einfeldt was walking down the stairs and recording the event on her cellphone.

The time was just before 11 p.m. Dozens of emergency vehicles swarmed an area where the Federal Aviation Administration later reported that a vehicle that moves planes, called a “tug,” struck the jet bridge.

Passengers on other Delta flights taxiing toward gate 78, who provided WESH 2 News with their videos and pictures, were delayed.

“I assumed it was probably a training exercise, right, and then the pilot kind of surprisingly came and made an announcement, and I figured that’s what the announcement was going to be,” said Scott Endsley of Lake Alfred.

He said the pilot announced that a serious incident had occurred, and he later learned a Delta worker had died.

Endsley added, “So, yeah, hearing that that actually happened was kind of sad and kind of a weird feeling.”

“When the pilot came on and said that we would be holding (back from the gate), that’s when I knew it wasn’t a drill,” said another passenger who lives in Orlando and who wished not to be identified.

He’s a frequent flyer who was on another Delta plane that had just landed, and was stunned to learn of the Delta worker’s death.

“Those teams that work together are really close, and you know, anytime someone loses their life, it’s just a shame,” the passenger said.

Delta statement

Morgan Durrant of Delta Air Lines provided WESH 2 with this statement:

“The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of a team member while on the job at Orlando International Airport on the evening of May 7. We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time. We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

Greater Orlando Aviation Authority spokesperson Angela Starke told WESH 2, “The MCO community is deeply saddened about the loss of an airport staff member, and we send our condolences to his friends and family.”

Luis Toribio, a personal injury attorney, said the incident could in part be viewed as a workplace injury.

“Even though it was at the airport, it was at a worksite,” he said. “So similar or the same laws apply whether it is at the airport or it is at the gym, it’s a workplace nonetheless.”

He said when investigating injuries like these, there are multiple factors at play.

“They’ll look into how the incident happened, and they’ll look into several of the factors I mentioned. The tug involved, the jet bridge involved, how were those items maintained, when was the last time they were maintained, were there protocols and procedures in place for proper use of all of these machineries? Was the person properly trained in the use of these machineries?” he said.

Orlando police declined to comment on the death investigation.

WESH 2 is not identifying the Delta employee because the medical examiner’s office has yet to confirm notification of next of kin.