AviationNews – A ground handler suffered life-threatening injuries on Monday evening at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport after being struck by a French Bee Airbus A350-900 during pushback operations, triggering widespread ground delays across the airport. The critical tarmac incident immediately halted apron movements and prompted an extensive federal safety investigation.
The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. local time on August 24 as French Bee flight BF5761 prepared to depart for Paris-Orly. According to preliminary reports, the ramp worker, acting as a marshaller or wing walker, reportedly tripped and fell into the path of the departing widebody aircraft before being struck by the landing gear. Emergency first responders immediately arrived at the gate area, administered critical care, and rushed the worker to a local hospital in critical condition, while passengers and crew aboard the aircraft remained uninjured.
The emergency response severely disrupted operations across Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, leading authorities to enforce an extended ground stop that restricted aircraft movement to and from terminal gates. Standard pushback protocols require strict visual and voice coordination between the tug driver, wing walkers, and flight deck to maintain safe clearance around heavy widebody jets. The incident caused cascading delays and flight cancellations throughout the evening, leaving international and transborder gates congested.
“French bee confirms that a serious accident occurred on Monday evening at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport during ground operations prior to the departure of one of its flights,” the airline said in an official statement. “French bee is cooperating fully with the Canadian authorities and all relevant parties to assist in establishing the facts. The airline’s immediate priority is to support all those affected by this tragic event”.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and local workplace safety regulators have initiated an investigation to determine the exact sequence of events and evaluate tarmac communication protocols. Ground service providers and airport authorities must routinely reinforce pushback safety perimeters and marshalling procedures to prevent apron accidents during high-traffic operations.
Normal flight operations gradually resumed at Montréal-Trudeau following the emergency response, though schedules experienced lingering delays into the next morning. Investigators will remain focused on ramp safety procedures to identify preventative measures for airport ground crews worldwide.