Tragic Incident at Delta’s Atlanta Facility Leaves Two Dead

Emergency response team coordination.

Atlanta

We’re learning more about a second man killed when a tire exploded at Delta’s maintenance facility on Tuesday. Luis Aldarondo, 37, was from Puerto Rico and trained at a facility in Florida before moving to Atlanta to work as a contractor for Delta.

Jonathan Ibarra, President of the South Avionics Training Center outside of Orlando where Aldarondo trained, shared more details about him. “He’s from Puerto Rico. He came, and he was looking for something to grow up, like to get a better career. And OK didn’t know anything about aviation decided to take a chance in aviation, and he ended up practically loving it,” Ibarra explained.

Aldarondo graduated in 2019 after studying there for a year. Ibarra recalls Aldarondo as a motivated individual who was passionate about his new field. “He was so happy he was a guy that was motivating everyone and saying like hey you can do this, you know he was good. He was really, really good,” Ibarra added.

Tuesday morning, the tragic incident occurred when a tire exploded at Delta’s maintenance facility. The explosion claimed the lives of Aldarondo and 58-year-old Mirko Marweg. Caleb Pline was injured in the incident. According to Delta, the tire was not attached to an aircraft when it exploded.

Marweg’s family faced a tough moment on Friday as they went to see his body but were not allowed due to the severe nature of his injuries. They made the journey to the funeral home to pick up his belongings, marking a somber day for the family.

“In the aviation community, everyone is sad; that’s not something that normally happens,” Ibarra said. “We are a small school, and to have our student happen was so sad. It was really, really sad.”

Ibarra expressed hope that Aldarondo would be remembered for his dedication and willingness to help others. “I hope he is remembered for his passion for his job and his willingness to help others,” Ibarra noted.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently investigating the incident. The aviation community and those who knew Aldarondo and Marweg are grieving the unexpected tragedy.

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