Two Delta Air Lines employees were killed and one seriously injured after an accident at an aircraft maintenance facility in Atlanta.
The workers were servicing a Delta plane at the airline’s wheel and brake repair shop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday, media reports said.
It is unclear how the incident occurred.
Local health authorities identified the dead men as Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo, 37. The name of the injured man was not released.
“The Delta family is deeply saddened by the loss of two team members and the injury of another following this morning’s incident at the Atlanta Engineering Operations Maintenance facility,” the airline said in a statement.
“We are currently working with local authorities and conducting a full investigation to establish what happened.”
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was “aware of the incident and is in contact with the airline.”
The International Association of Metalworkers and Aerospace Workers, a union that represents many airline workers, has called for an investigation into the deaths. Delta’s workforce is largely non-union, CBS reported.
“We stand in solidarity with Delta workers during this difficult time and we call on Delta and the relevant authorities to promptly conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of this incident,” the union said in a statement.
With few details available, local authorities have expressed support for the victims and their families.
Airport officials called it a “tragic incident.”
“My deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of the Delta employees who died,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement posted online. “My condolences go out to those injured and I hope they have a speedy and full recovery.”
According to online flight records, the plane arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday.
The incident did not appear to affect air traffic at the airport on Tuesday.
Delta is headquartered in Atlanta. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is the busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic.
