Two Delta Workers Killed in Boeing 757 Tire Explosion in Atlanta

Two Delta workers have been killed, and one injured, after a tire on a Boeing 757 exploded during maintenance at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL).

According to reports, the incident took place early morning in one of Hartsfield’s maintenance hangars near the international terminal. The tire was on a 31-year-old Boeing 757, which completed a flight from Las Vegas on Sunday. The incident did not impact the schedule at Hartsfield.

Delta told local Atlanta news outlet Fox 5 Atlanta that it was extending its full support to the workers’ families.

“We are extending our full support to their families at this difficult time and conducting an investigation to determine what happened,” it said.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union released a statement on Tuesday, standing with Delta workers and asking authorities to investigate the incident.

“We stand in unity with Delta workers during this difficult time and we call on Delta and the relevant authorities to quickly launch a thorough investigation into how this happened.”

Boeing’s issues continue to grow

While it’s too soon to know who is to blame for Tuesday’s incident, the news is far from the first time Boeing has made headlines recently, which led to the resignation of then-CEO Dave Calhoun in March.

The most notable Boeing incident this year came in January when a door plug-type passenger door blew off of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, forcing the jet to return to Portland International with an open cabin. The FAA grounded all MAX 8 planes following the incident.

Other Boeing-related safety issues have also emerged this year, including a United Airlines MAX 8 jet driving off a runway after issues with landing gear in March and an engine blowing off a 727 headed to Atlanta, also in March.

Currently, two astronauts are stuck in space because of issues with a Boeing Starliner aircraft. Three days ago, NASA announced plans to bring the spacecraft back without the crew, which it has deemed too risky. The astronauts will fly home on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in February.