Horror as Frontier Airlines flight with 231 people onboard kills a pedestrian on runway
There was horror onboard a Frontier Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles when it struck and killed a person walking on the runway at Denver International Airport on Friday night.
Videos posted to social media showed the cabin of the plane getting filled with smoke as all passengers were forced to evacuate via the emergency slides.
The individual who was hit was at least partially consumed by one of the engines, an official confirmed to ABC News.
There was at least one minor injury to a person on board the aircraft, which collided with the unknown person on the runway at about 11:30pm local time.
Passengers lingered around the engine and at the base of the slide while crew members told them to back away from the aircraft, according to the videos.
A statement to the Daily Mail from Frontier said: ‘As flight 4345 was departing this evening from Denver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, the aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff.
‘Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution.
‘The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities. We are deeply saddened by this event.’
A Frontier Airlines flight collided with a pedestrian during takeoff at Denver International Airport on Friday night.(Pictured: A Frontier A320neo jet)
It’s unclear why the person who was hit was on the runway. Their identity has not been released (Pictured: Aerial photo of Denver International Airport)
The plane collided with the person on the runway at around 11:30pm local time. This then caused an engine fire that the Denver Fire Department responded to and put out
‘Air traffic control audio from ATC.com picked up the crew speaking about the incident.
‘Tower, Frontier 4345, we’re stopping on the runway. Uh, we just hit somebody… we have an engine fire,’ the pilot was heard saying.
When asked how many people were on board, the pilot said: ‘We have 231 souls on board… There was an individual walking across the runway.’
The pilot then said there was smoke on the aircraft and that they’d need to evacuate the passengers and crew.
The Denver Fire Department responded to the scene and put out the fire.
Frontier and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. The National Transportation Safety Board is also aware of the incident.
Runway 17L, where the collision occurred, will remain closed as authorities canvas the scene.