Two Delta Airlines employees who died in a sudden tire blowout have been identified as a Marine veteran and a young father of two children.
Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo Jr., 37, died when the tire burst while changing a tire at Atlanta International Airport shortly after 5 a.m. Tuesday.
A third worker was seriously injured, but the extent of his injuries, the cause of the explosion and the cause of the workers’ deaths are unknown.
Marweg served in the military and followed generations of his family over the last century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son and granddaughter.
Mirko Marweg, 58 (pictured with his daughter at her graduation ceremony), was one of two Delta Airlines employees killed in a tire explosion at Atlanta airport.
Luis Aldarondo Jr., 37, was the contract worker killed. He is pictured with his wife, young son and daughter, and another family member.
He was a sailor in the U.S. Navy, as was his son Andre Coleman, and his granddaughter Nikki Coleman, 20, was drafted 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 has a young son and daughter with his wife Sonia and is very close to his mother Juliet Perez.
The explosion occurred in the maintenance area of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Aldarondo has a young son and daughter with his wife Sonia (pictured together) and is very close to 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 last century, including his father, sister, brothers, nephew, son and granddaughter.
Delta TechOps is responsible for maintaining all of the airline’s aircraft and Atlanta is the global headquarters, serving more than 200 routes worldwide.
The Boeing 757 is believed to have arrived in Atlanta from Las Vegas on Sunday evening.
Flight Radar tracking data shows that the plane completed four short-haul flights between Tampa, Atlanta and Las Vegas on Sunday.
The incident occurred months after another Delta Boeing lost its nose wheel while attempting to take off from the same airport.
Two people died when a tire on a Delta plane burst during a changeover at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
John Laughter, president and chief of operations of Delta TechOps, said in a message to employees Tuesday morning that the tragedy was “heartbreaking for all of us.”
He said, “I am deeply saddened to announce that three members of the TechOps team were involved in an accident that occurred early this morning in Atlanta… Wheel & Brake Shop.”
“Please know that your safety and well-being always come first and that your leaders are there for you. Please continue to take good care of yourself and others.
“We are all in the same boat and we will get through this by supporting each other.”
Laughter said the necessary resources would remain on site to help, referring employees in need to human resources and offering 24/7 counseling services.
A statement from Delta Air Lines said: “The Delta family is heartbroken over 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 pledged our full support to family members and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.
Delta Air Lines said in a statement: “The Delta family is heartbroken over the loss of two team members and the injury of another following an incident this morning at the Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility.”
“The Delta family is grateful for the quick response of first responders and medical teams on the scene.”
Flights to and from the airport were 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 confirmed the tragedy in a statement on Tuesday morning and expressed his condolences to the families of those affected.
He said: “I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased Delta employees.”
My thoughts are also with the injured and I hope for their quick and full recovery. The AFRD, APD and HJAIA teams are on site and are working diligently to manage the situation.’
The tragedy occurred just months after a Delta plane from the same airport lost its nose tire during takeoff.
Delta TechOps is responsible for the maintenance of all of the airline’s aircraft and Atlanta serves as its global headquarters
The Boeing 757’s departure from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Bogota, Colombia, was scheduled for January but was delayed due to the incident.
According to the FAA, the nose wheel came off and rolled down the hill as if it had just waited before takeoff.
It is also the latest in a series of worrying incidents involving Boeing aircraft.
Just last month, a Boeing 737 suddenly crashed over Oklahoma at less than 500 feet above the ground, sending local residents into a state of panic as they feared the plane might crash.
One of the particularly frightening incidents was when a door plug burst on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 at an altitude of 5,800 meters in January of this year.
Last month, Boeing executives accepted a $243.6 million settlement that would spare the company a criminal trial related to two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max.
Under the agreement, Boeing will plead guilty to fraud charges related to the fatal plane crashes in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia less than five months later, which killed a total of 346 people.
