N. Z. man ‘dies after being sucked into plane engine’

WELLINGTON – A New Zealand aircraft engineer died after he was sucked into a plane engine while carrying out maintenance work, it was reported Monday.

Air New Zealand subsidiary SAFE Air said the 51-year-old man died during a routine maintenance operation on Monday morning at its base in the South Island town of Blenheim.

SAFE Air did not detail how the man died but Fairfax Media said sources had informed it he was sucked into the engine of a C-130 Hercules that had been removed from the aircraft and installed in the airline’s testing bay.

The man had apparently walked into the testing bay while the engine was running, Fairfax reported.

SAFE said police and labour department officials were investigating the death.

It said Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe was travelling to Blenheim to support the man’s family and colleagues.