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'Serious accident' at Heathrow Airport leaves one BA engineer dead after vehicles crash on runway

Police and airside operations vehicles at Heathrow Airport (Steve Parsons/PA Wire)
Police and airside operations vehicles at Heathrow Airport (Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

A British Airways engineer has died after two airport vehicles crashed on the runway at Heathrow Airport, Scotland Yard has confirmed.

Another male sustained a suspected broken shoulder in the collision.

A yellow airside operations pick-up truck was one of the vehicles involved.

They are often driven around the airfield at high speed by Heathrow staff carrying out tasks such as directing aircraft and inspecting the runways.

Passengers were evacuated from a plane after this morning’s ‘serious accident’.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “Police were called at 6.06am on Wednesday, February 14, following a collision between two airport vehicles on the taxiway at Heathrow Airport.

“Officers attended with London Ambulance Service colleagues.

“One male is believed to have sustained a broken shoulder; his injuries are not life-threatening or life-changing.

“Another male, aged in his 40s, was taken to a west London hospital with serious injuries. He has since died. Officers have informed next of kin. We await formal identification.”

(PA Images)
(PA Images)
(PA Images)
(PA Images)

A spokesperson for Heathrow said: ‘Following an incident on the airfield involving two members of staff, an investigation is underway and we are working with the Police.

‘This incident didn’t involve any passengers and is not expected to cause any impact on journeys today.’

Heathrow Airport confirmed: ‘We are dealing with a serious accident involving two vehicles on the airfield.

‘We are working closely with the emergency services and updates will follow. The airfield remains open and we will work to minimise disruption to our passengers’ journeys.’

One passenger tweeted that his plane was being delayed for ‘hours’. British Airways confirmed that ‘inaccessible stands’ were causing delays to departures.