Two Delta Airlines employees were killed when a tire suddenly exploded. They were a Navy veteran and a young father of two.
Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo Jr., 37, were killed when their tire blew while changing a tire at Atlanta’s airport just after 5 a.m. Tuesday.
A third worker was seriously injured, but the severity of their injuries, the cause of the explosion and how the workers died are unknown.
Marweg served in the military, as did generations of his family over the past century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son and granddaughter.
Mirko Marweg, 58, (pictured with his daughter at her graduation) was one of two Delta Airlines employees killed in a tire explosion at Atlanta airport
Luis Aldarondo Jr, 37, was the murdered security guard. He is pictured with his wife, young son and daughter, and another family member
He was a sailor in the U.S. Navy, as were his son Andre Coleman and his granddaughter Nikki Coleman, 20, who enlisted in 2021.
After his discharge, he worked in maintenance for the Atlanta Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority for 26 years, until 2020, before joining Delta.
Aldarondo had a son and a daughter with his wife Sonia and is close to his mother Juliet Perez.
The explosion occurred in the maintenance area of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Aldarondo had a son and a daughter with his wife Sonia (pictured together) and has a good relationship with his mother Juliet Perez.
Marweg with his wife in a recent photo
Marweg served in the military (pictured in his Navy uniform), as did generations of his family over the past century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son and granddaughter
Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all aircraft for the airline. Atlanta is the global headquarters and serves more than 200 routes worldwide.
The Boeing 757 reportedly arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday evening.
Flight radar data shows the plane made four short flights between Tampa, Atlanta and Las Vegas on Sunday.
The incident occurred just months after another Delta Boeing lost its nose gear while attempting to take off from the same airport.
Two people have died after a tire exploded on a Delta plane while being changed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
John Laughter, president and chief operating officer of Delta TechOps, sent a message to employees Tuesday morning acknowledging that the tragedy is “heartbreaking for all of us.”
He said, “I am deeply saddened to report that three TechOps team members were involved in an accident that occurred early this morning in Atlanta… Wheel & Brake Shop.
“Know that your safety and well-being always comes first, and that your leaders are there for you. Continue to take good care of yourselves and each other.
“We are all in this together and we will get through this by supporting each other.”
Laughter said staff will remain on site to provide assistance for as long as needed. She referred employees in distress to HR. She also offered a 24/7 counseling service.
Delta Air Lines said in a statement: “The Delta family is heartbroken by the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Technical Operations Maintenance facility in Atlanta.
‘We express our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.
“The Delta family is grateful for the quick response of the emergency services and medical teams on site.”
Flights to and from the airport are not affected by the tragedy.
Delta has pledged to cooperate with local authorities as an investigation is launched to determine what went wrong.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens released a statement Tuesday morning confirming the tragedy and offering his condolences to the families of those involved.
He said: ‘I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees.
My thoughts are also with those who were injured, and I hope for their speedy and full recovery. AFRD, APD and HJAIA teams are on the scene and working diligently to address the situation.
Delta Air Lines said in a statement: “The Delta family is heartbroken by the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Technical Operations Maintenance facility in Atlanta.”
The tragedy occurred just months after a Delta plane departing from the same airport lost its noseband while attempting to take off.
The Boeing 757 was scheduled to depart from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta to Bogota, Colombia in January, but was delayed due to the incident.
According to the FAA, the nose gear detached and rolled down a hill while the aircraft was lining up and waiting to take off.
It is also the latest in a series of worrying incidents involving Boeing aircraft.
Just a month ago, a Boeing 737 crashed suddenly less than 500 feet above the ground in Oklahoma, leaving residents terrified and worried that the plane would crash.
One of the most frightening incidents was the failure of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 at 16,000 feet in January.
Boeing executives last month agreed to a $243.6 million settlement that spared the company from facing criminal charges over two deadly 737 Max crashes.
Under the agreement, Boeing will plead guilty to a criminal fraud charge stemming from the deadly crashes in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia less than five months later, which killed a total of 346 people.
Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all of the airline’s aircraft and Atlanta serves as the global headquarters
