A Frontier Airlines flight struck and killed a pedestrian at Denver International on Friday evening, the airport said.
In a social media post early on Saturday, Denver International said that Frontier Flight 4345 reported hitting a person during takeoff at approximately 11:19 p.m., adding that firefighters tackled a “brief engine fire” at the scene.
The airport authority later confirmed that a pedestrian had jumped a perimeter fence and was hit while crossing the runway.
“The pedestrian is deceased, and is not believed to be an employee of the airport nor have they been identified,” it said, adding that Runway 17L remained closed for investigation but was expected to reopen within the next few hours.
In a statement, Frontier said there were reports of smoke in the cabin and that the pilots decided to abort takeoff, with passengers “safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution.”
Twelve people reported minor injuries, with five of these people transported to hospital, Denver International said.
The Airbus A321, which was destined for Los Angeles, was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members when the incident occurred, per Frontier.
“We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” the airline’s statement continued. “We are deeply saddened by this event.”
In an audio recording of the moment shared by ATC.com, one of the Frontier pilots can be heard saying: “Frontier 4345, we’re stopping on the runway. We just hit somebody, we have an engine fire.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday that it was coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration, Denver airport operations, and local law enforcement to gather further information.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
