TUI cabin crew rushed to hospital after 'opening door' and 'falling from plane' before flight at East Midlands Airport

An investigation has been launched into the horror plunge that occurred at East Midlands Airport at around 4.30pm on December 16. The stewardess is understood to have opened the aircraft door as the plane was preparing to take off.

It it thought that she believed the stairs were still attached, but they had already been removed. A source told Nottinghamshire Live: "She opened the door, took a step out and the stairs that were supposed to be there were not there for whatever reason.

"She fell to the tarmac and I heard she was seriously injured." An airport worker reported a similar account of the incident. The flight attendant was ruched to Queen's Medical Centre, in Nottingham.

A probe into the incident has been launched by the Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB). A spokesperson for East Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We received a call at 4.31pm on 16 December to a medical emergency at East Midlands Airport. We sent a paramedic in a solo response car and an ambulance.

“The air ambulance was also in attendance. One patient was taken by ambulance to Queen’s Medical Centre."

An AAIB spokesperson said: "An accident which occurred at East Midlands Airport on Monday, December 16 was notified to the AAIB. An investigation has been launched and inspectors have visited the airport to gather evidence and make enquiries to understand more about the circumstances.”

EMA’s operations director Simon Hinchley said: "As first medical responders on site, our fire crews attended an incident on Monday when a member of TUI cabin crew sustained injuries as an aircraft was preparing to depart. East Midlands Ambulance Service attended and took the injured crew member to hospital. We wish her a speedy recovery and will assist all parties with the investigation."