In Thailand, an airport worker was crushed to death under a glass elevator in front of shocked passengers.
Mechanic Wisatrat Tangsoh, 22, was working at the bottom of the shaft when the two-tonne glass cabin crashed down on him yesterday afternoon.
Shocked passengers were heard screaming in pain as panicked staff cordoned off the departure lounge at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
His colleagues from the Asian Elevator company rushed to the scene and found Mr Wisatrat’s body in a pool of blood on the concrete foundation of the elevator shaft.
He reportedly tried to retrieve a key from the base as the elevator slowly descended toward him.
But the 22-year-old man experienced the last few terrifying moments when he couldn’t escape in time and the people above him couldn’t stop the elevator.
Mechanic Wisatrat Tangsoh, 22, (pictured) was working at the bottom of the shaft when the two-ton glass cabin crashed down on him yesterday afternoon
Doctors work at the foot of the elevator shaft in the departure hall of Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok
Medics arrived and the worker was pronounced dead at the scene, having suffered a catastrophic head injury from the force of the lift.
The area was cordoned off to the public and Mr Wisatrat’s body was taken to the Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute for autopsy.
However, airport managers blamed the employee.
In a statement, Suvarnabhumi International Airport said: “Preliminary investigation has revealed that the deceased did not follow safety procedures, which led to the accident that resulted in his death.
‘Airports of Thailand (AOT) have been working with medics and police to inspect the scene with forensic experts. AOT has temporarily cordoned off the area.
‘We would like to confirm that the accident was not caused by a defect in the elevator in the area.
The area was cordoned off to the public and Mr Wisatrat’s body was taken to the Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute for an autopsy.
“The AOT would like to express its condolences to the family of the deceased. We will fully cooperate with the investigation to determine the cause of the accident.”
According to data from Bloomberg, Thailand’s airports had a market capitalization of US$31 billion in 2018, making it the richest airport operator in the world.
However, health and safety incidents have occurred before at airports run by state-owned companies.
In September 2023, a passenger’s leg was amputated by a faulty escalator at sister airport Don Mueang International Airport.