Lucy Devine
A man has explained how his father's body was 'unrecognizable' after he died following an explosion that occurred while working on a Delta Airlines plane.
Mirko Marweg, 58, a Delta Airlines worker, was killed on Tuesday (27 August) after a freak incident occurred at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta.
Marweg had been preparing a plane's wheel components as part of a maintenance exercise when the explosion took place.
Emergency services responded to a call at around 5am. It's believed the tire was from a plane that had flown from Las Vegas a few days earlier.
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Marweg died alongside co-worker, Luis Aldarondo, 37. Meanwhile, another crew member was seriously injured in the blast.
Following the incident, Delta TechOps COO John Laughter shared a statement, which read: “I’m deeply saddened to share that three TechOps team members were involved in an accident that took place early this morning in Atlanta TOC 3, Dept. 391 – Wheel & Brake Shop.
“Tragically, two of our team members involved passed away and one other team member was seriously injured.
“This news is heartbreaking for all of us.”
Meanwhile, Delta Airlines said: "The Delta family is heartbroken at the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.
"We have extended our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time."
Following the devastating incident, Marweg's son, Andre Coleman, has said his father's body was 'unrecognizable'.
“I wanted to view the body because I didn’t believe it was true. Neither did my mom,” he told 11Alive News.
Coleman said that he was advised against seeing his father's body because the medical examiner had said it was 'unrecognizable'.
The damage was so severe that Coleman had to identify his father via his tattoos and the signature on his lanyard.
Coleman had been with his father just a few days prior, with Marweg helping him with his motorbike.
“That’s the kind of dad he was. He was always there. My dad was an amazing guy, wonderful father, wonderful husband," he added.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers has also commented on the tragic event.
“IAM stands in solidarity with the community of Atlanta and expresses our deepest condolences to the victims’ families following the tragic incident that occurred this morning," they said.
“As a union dedicated to the well-being and safety of our members and the broader community, we will offer our resources to all those impacted by this tragic event.
“We stand in unity with Delta workers during this difficult time and we call on Delta and the relevant authorities to quickly launch a thorough investigation into how this happened.”