A Delta Airlines employee tragically lost his life in a tire explosion at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, suffering injuries so severe that his body was left “unrecognizable,” according to his son, Andre Coleman. Coleman and his family identified his father, Mirko Marweg, 58, through his tattoos after the incident occurred while Marweg and a co-worker were preparing a plane’s wheel components for maintenance.
Coleman mentioned that he was in disbelief about his father’s death and wanted to see him, but the Clayton County Medical Examiner advised against viewing the body due to the extent of the injuries. Mirko Marweg, a veteran of the Air Force and a handyman known as “Mr. Fix-It,” died alongside 37-year-old Luis Aldarondo, while another maintenance worker sustained serious injuries.
Coleman recalled spending time with his father just two days prior, as Marweg helped him change the oil in his motorcycle. He described his father as an amazing person and a dedicated family man.
In response to the tragedy, Delta’s Chief of Operations, John Laughter, released a statement expressing sadness over the accident involving three employees at the Wheel & Brake Shop. “Tragically, two of our team members involved passed away and one other team member was seriously injured,” Laughter stated, signaling deep remorse within the company.
Delta has pledged to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the explosion, which involved tire components not attached to any aircraft at the time. The tire that exploded had been from a plane that arrived from Las Vegas. Additionally, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also looking into the incident.