Brother of airport worker who was sucked into airplane jet engine says he didn't plan to take his own life
The tragic incident took place on Friday
* Warning: This article contains subjects some readers may find distressing. *
The brother of an airport worker who killed himself by jumping into a plane engine has claimed that he showed no signs of being suicidal.
David Renner, 27, had reportedly been happy, sober and gave no indication that he wanted to take his own life in the months leading up to his death.
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David was killed by blunt and sharp force injuries at San Antonio International Airport when he was ingested into the engine of the airliner, which had just arrived from Los Angeles on Friday (23 June).
The 27-year-old's brother, Joshua, has acknowledged, however, that he did suffer with mental health problems.
Joshua told the Daily Mail: "This isn’t the first time David has tried something like this, from my knowledge. There were other times. This time I thought it was different."
The two had grown up in separate houses much like kids of divorced parents, leading to a 'complicated' childhood.
Joshua claims that his brother was on the road to recovery, saying: "[David] had been clean for over eight months, was in therapy, [was] actively taking his prescribed medication and had finally became the David we all knew he could be."
There was apparently no indication that David would take his life, as he was 'living his life to the fullest'.
Joshua added: "David is one of many others that suffer with mental illness and it’s not always very clear to us to see."
Emergency crews discovered the tragic scene after responding to reports a ground crew worker being 'ingested' by the engine.
The National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation but it was halted Monday (26 June).
"There were no operational issues with either the airplane or the airport," the NTSB said.
"From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi's operational processes, safety procedures and policies," said Unifi Aviation, the ground crew operations company where David worked.
A Delta spokesperson said the airline was 'heartbroken' of the loss of an 'aviation family member's life'.
"Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time," they said.
Grief counselors are being offered to airport employees in the wake of the tragedy.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 802 9999 between 12pm–2.30pm and 7pm– 9.30pm every day. Alternatively, you can contact Victim Support free on 08 08 16 89 111 available 24/7, every day of the year, including Christmas.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact RAINN via its helpline on 800 656 HOPE (4673) or its online chat, available 24/7 seven days a week.
Ben Thompson