Airline Mechanic Crushed to Death in Chicago

Jijo George leaves behind a toddler and expectant wife
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 17, 2020 12:55 PM CST
Airline Mechanic Crushed to Death in Chicago
An American Eagle jet sits on the tarmac at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Sept. 2, 2015.   (Wikimedia/MarcEGottlieb)

An airline mechanic died Sunday after he was crushed by machinery at Chicago's O'Hare airport. The 35-year-old—identified on a GoFundMe page as Jijo George—provided ground support for Envoy Air, an American Airlines subsidiary that flies under the name American Eagle, reports USA Today. He suffered multiple injuries when crushed by what the Cook County medical examiner’s office described as an "aircraft driveable pushback apparatus" at hangar 764, per the Chicago Sun-Times. He was found unresponsive around 2pm and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead about two hours later, police said.

More than $91,500 has been raised for his family, including a daughter who will turn 2 on Christmas Eve. George's wife is due to give birth to a second child in January, according to GoFundMe. Blesson George, a cousin, tells the Sun-Times that George emigrated from India 17 years ago and was the sole provider for his household, which includes the family of his brother as well as his parents. Envoy Air says it is "providing support to the family and our employees," per the Sun-Times. But Blesson says the airline left the family "in the dark for hours" and "isn't ready to tell us what really happened." An investigation is underway. (More O'Hare International Airport stories.)

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