Wellington:
A New Zealand aircraft engineer died after he was sucked into a plane engine while carrying out maintenance work at a SAFE Air base.
The 51-year-old man was employed by SAFE Air, which is a subsidiary of Air New Zealand. Officials at SAFE Air said the man died during a routine maintenance operation on Monday morning, at its base in the South Island town of Blenheim.
SAFE Air did not detail how the man died but Fairfax Media said it was informed by sources that the man was sucked into the engine of a C-130 Hercules. The engine had been removed from the aircraft and was installed in the airline's testing bay.
The man had apparently walked into the testing bay while the engine was running, Fairfax reported.
SAFE Air said police and labour department officials were investigating the death.
Itadded that Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe was travelling to Blenheim to offer his condolences to the man's family and colleagues.