Ground crew member seen lying in front of aircraft engine sparks online safety concerns

A photo circulating on social media platform Threads on Monday showed a ground crew member lying in front of an aircraft engine, prompting online speculation about safety breaches, with the Airport Authority confirming the person was conducting maintenance work.

The image showed several ground crew working near the wing and engine of a parked Cathay Pacific A330-300 aircraft at Hong Kong International Airport. One person was lying in front of the engine intake, while two others stood on the outer side. A cardboard box was also visible on the ground.

The Airport Authority said after consulting the relevant aircraft maintenance company that the personnel were carrying out engine maintenance work at the time.

Online reactions were mixed, with some questioning whether safety protocols had been ignored. Comments included: "Disregarding safety like this, they'll definitely be fired" and "Surely this is a sackable offence." However, others familiar with aviation maintenance noted that engine startup requires multiple procedures and clearances, takes about 10 minutes, and produces noticeable sounds, with ground crew fully aware of the situation. Some also pointed out that a "red tag" was still attached to the aircraft, indicating it was not yet operational.