Gran Canaria Airport: Man, 21, working at popular holiday airport dies after two baggage vehicles collide on runway

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon while the worker was operating a baggage carrier during loading and unloading operations. According to available information, the employee was driving a Groundforce baggage vehicle when, for reasons not yet determined, it collided with another baggage carrier that was parked on the runway.

Airport medical personnel provided first aid at the scene before emergency services transported the injured worker to hospital. Despite medical treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries.

The Civil Guard has launched an investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the accident and determine why the vehicle collision occurred. The incident raises concerns over the safety of the airport.

There has also been an increase in fatal accidents - 21 compared to 13 recorded in the first nine months of last year, according to information published this Monday by the Canary Islands Institute of Statistics. Just over a year ago, on 23 May 2024, a 58-year-old worker employed by subcontractor FSM died after being run over by a steamroller during asphalt works on the runway.

In that case, the Civil Guard concluded the incident was a workplace accident after reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements. Authorities are now examining whether any safety or operational factors contributed to the latest fatality.