A worker at O’Hare Airport was seriously injured on Saturday night when a plane’s wing hit the tug vehicle he was driving.
The accident happened around 7 p.m. as the worker was trying to cross a taxiway in his tug. A plane’s wing struck the tug, causing it to flip over and trap the driver underneath, according to early reports from the Chicago police.
The driver, a 64-year-old man, suffered serious injuries to his head and lower body. He was rushed to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge in critical condition. Fortunately, doctors were able to stabilize him at the hospital.
United Airlines confirmed that the tug belonged to their company and stated that the accident occurred on the taxiway.
The aircraft involved in the incident was an Air Wisconsin CRJ-200, which had just arrived from Kalamazoo, Michigan. According to the Chicago Department of Aviation and flight tracking website FlightAware, the CRJ-200 is a small regional jet that can carry up to 50 passengers. However, it is unclear how many people were on the plane at the time of the accident.
Authorities confirmed that no passengers or crew members on the plane were injured.
The police have assigned Area Five detectives to investigate the cause of the accident.
