A woman’s leg has been amputated at a Bangkok airport after becoming trapped in a moving walkway.
The unnamed 57-year-old was about to board a morning flight from Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport to Nakhon Si Thammarat province yesterday (29 June) when the tragic incident occurred.
According to airport officials, the Thai woman reportedly became caught in the walkway located in Terminal 2 after tripping over her suitcase.
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The woman then fell into the travelator and was dragged into the conveyor belt sustaining some major injuries.
A team of medical professionals were subsequently called to the scene and ending up removing the lower half of her left leg just above the knee.
Images have since circulated online of the horrific incident showing the passenger's leg trapped beneath the walkway as airport staff attempt to assist her.
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Don Mueang Airport has since issued a statement on the matter, stating: "The director of Don Mueang Airport and management has visited the patient to follow up on the treatment and received information from the medical team at Bhumibol Hospital that she is currently in the process of receiving treatment from the medical team.
"Don Mueang Airport is deeply saddened by the incident and ready to fully accept the responsibility as well as take care of the medical expenses and compensation."
Speaking in a news conference, airport director Karun Thanakuljeerapat added: "On behalf of the Don Mueang international airport, I’d like to express my deepest condolences regarding the accident.
"I’d like to insist that we will ensure that no such accident will happen again."
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A suitcase lying near the passenger at the time was missing two wheels, and the yellow comb-like plates from the conveyor belt were seen broken off from where they normally cover the edge of where moving walkway ends.
Thanakuljeerapat said the suitcase wheels were later found underneath the belt, but it was unclear how it might relate to the accident.
He was later informed by the medical team at the hospital that they were unable to reattach the woman's leg.
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He said the woman reportedly asked to be transferred to another hospital to assess the possibility.
The airport director assured the public that the walkway had been closed and a team of engineers was inspecting it to determine the cause of the incident.
Don Mueang airport has also issued a statement to Facebook yesterday (29 June).
The translated statement explains: "Initially, the medical team at Don Mueang Airport received care and brought the injured to the hospital Bhumibol Adulyadej The Royal Thai Air Force Medical Department for immediate treatment and at 1:00 p.m., the injured was transported to Bumrungrad Hospital for further treatment.
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Currently, the patient is in the process of treatment from a 'close medical team' who will 'continue to monitor the results of treatment'.
The airport also declared that 'strict penalties will be taken' if it is found the tragic ordeal was 'caused by defects or negligence'.
Topics: News, World News, Health
Rhiannon Ingle