Latest news with #aerobridge
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Footage shows horror moment Qantas worker plunges 6m off aerobridge at Sydney Airport
The terrifying moment a Qantas worker fell five metres through a hole in an aerobridge at Sydney Airport has been released. Newly released footage shows customer service representative Olivia Hristovska approaching the side of the aerobridge to look onto the tarmac through the little windows that run along the side. She doesn't appear to notice the gaping hole below her feet where the side of the aerobridge has come away from the platform and as she walks closer she slips through. Another worker sees her fall and approaches the hole but is too late to help. Ms Hristovska was rushed to hospital with life-threatening head injuries after the fall last month. She was placed in an induced coma with a collapsed lung, several broken ribs, broken clavicle and pelvis, and fractured spine. She's since been released from hospital into the care of her adult two daughters and is still living with the impact of the head injury. 'Bones can heal, but the brain you don't know,' her daughter Monique Hristovska told 9News on Tuesday, 'She's lost her whole identity.' She described her mother's time in hospital as 'traumatic' and 'daunting' and said she initially learned the details of the incident through doctors and the media. 'We are truly sorry for the devastating incident that occurred to one of our team members at Sydney Airport last month and acknowledge the significant impact this has had on Olivia and her family,' he said. 'We have had a number of conversations and correspondence with Olivia's family since the day of the incident and have offered our full support through this incredibly difficult time. We are here to assist Olivia in any way we can through her recovery while also respecting her family's request for privacy during this stage of her recovery. 'Everyone at Qantas and Sydney Airport wants to know exactly what happened and we are supporting SafeWork NSW as it conducts a full investigation into the incident. 'In the meantime, both Qantas and Sydney Airport have put in place enhanced safety procedures and Qantas has engaged independent experts to look at how safety can be improved on aerobridges at airports around Australia and the world.'
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Eerie reminder of Qantas worker's horrific aerobridge fall that left her in a coma
A sign has been spotted at a major Australian airport, warning of the dangers of aerobridges after a shocking accident which left a Qantas worker fighting for life. Customer experience supervisor Olivia Hristovska plunged five metres through a hole in an aerobridge at Sydney Airport's T3 domestic terminal on May 3. She hit the tarmac below, suffering life-threatening head and internal injuries, and was placed in an induced coma by doctors. A picture of a small sign was taken at Melbourne Airport this week highlighting the incident while reminding 'us (of) all of the hazards associated with working at heights on aerobridges'. 'While there is so much yet to learn from this recent safety incident, the seriousness of it prompts a strong reminder to us all,' it read. 'The height of an aerobridge from the ground can be up to 8m when docked to some aircraft type that use Melbourne Airport. 'Safe practices at heights is paramount, otherwise a serious accident is risked.' The sign reminded people to never lean on aerobridge walls, look out for gaps and to speak up if 'unsafe practices are observed'. At the bottom of the notice there was a 'call to action' heading highlighted in red. Under it, also printed in red ink, were the words: 'Aerobridge operators must conduct a safety briefing on the aerobridge prior to operating to ensure all persons on the bridge are aware of safety precautions and risk.' Qantas employees came forward online recently to open up on the May 3 incident, amid a wave of speculation on social media. 'So many unnecessary and uniformed comments as to the true facts that led to this tragic accident today,' one staff member said. 'I was on shift when this incident unfolded and had traumatised many Qantas staff,' she said, adding that the woman had followed all necessary safety procedures. Another witness purporting to have inside knowledge on the incident and the woman's subsequent medical treatment chimed in 'She was leaning on the side of the aerobridge and it buckled out, separating from the floor. A male colleague tried to grab her to no avail,' she said. 'She was unresponsive for 15 minutes, but was revived in the ambulance and then put in an induced coma. 'She has head injuries, and most likely broken bones.' The Melbourne Airport sign confirmed Ms Hristovska had leaned against the aerobridge wall before it buckled and she fell through a gap. Ms Hristovska worked for the airline for 14 years, according to her LinkedIn profile. Despite it happening at Sydney Airport, there's been no confirmed sightings of the warning sign there. Daily Mail Australia contacted Sydney Airport and Ms Hristovska's family for comment. Ms Hristovska's daughter Monique, 27, told Daily Mail Australia shortly after the accident she hadn't left her mother's side. 'We feel it's important the full human impact of this incident is understood - not just the event itself, but the long-term effects on her body, mind, and our family,' she said. Monique celebrated Mother's Day by her mum's bedside in hospital as Ms Hristovska lay unconscious next to her. 'This year, I hold my own mum close - not just in heart, but in gratitude,' she later posted on Instagram. 'After everything, she's here, and that alone is a miracle I don't take lightly. To every mother, nurturer, and divine woman holding it all - we see you.'
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Daughter reveals her Qantas worker mum's desperate fight for life after falling 5m from Sydney Airport aerobridge walkway
The daughter of a Qantas worker who plunged 5m from an aerobridge at Sydney Airport says it's a miracle her mum survived, as she fights for life in hospital. Customer experience supervisor Olivia Hristovska suffered critical injuries when the wall of a walkway to an aircraft seemingly ruptured as she leant against it on May 3. She plummeted to the tarmac below, suffering life-threatening head and internal injuries, and has been placed in an induced coma by doctors. Her daughter Monique Hristovska, 27, told Daily Mail Australia she hasn't left her mother's side since the accident, and revealed its devastating consequences. 'We feel it's important the full human impact of this incident is understood - not just the event itself, but the long-term effects on her body, mind, and our family,' she said. Monique last weekend celebrated Mother's Day by her mum's bedside in hospital as Olivia lay unconscious next to her. 'This year, I hold my own mum close - not just in heart, but in gratitude,' she later posted on Instagram. 'After everything, she's here, and that alone is a miracle I don't take lightly. To every mother, nurturer, and divine woman holding it all - we see you.' Monique also shared a throwback video of her mum unwrapping a gift of lingerie from her daughter's business, Monsera Intimates, on a previous Mother's Day. 'You are the queen of attention to detail, I got it from you,' Monique told her in the video as her mum, wearing her Qantas uniform, beamed with pride. 'This day is for you - the woman behind it all. The goddess. The life-giver. The space-holder,' she posted. 'Love hard. Speak it freely. Honour the women in your life while they're here - and carry their legacy when they're not. 'Love you mumma.' Friends wished the 'strong' and 'gorgeous' Ms Hristovska a speedy recovery. 'Love this. Your mum is in my thoughts, and I'm hoping for a swift and full recovery for her,' one wrote. 'Olivia, you are a strong woman praying and thinking of you as you move through your recovery,' another said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by monsera intimates (@monseraintimates) Her daughter Monique Hristovska, 27, (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia she hasn't left her mother's side since the accident Ms Hristovska is believed to have fallen through an opening where the shutter wall of the aerobridge came loose from its tracks. One family friend posted on social media that a male colleague had desperately tried to stop her fall. 'She was leaning on the side of the aerobridge, and it buckled out, separating from the floor,' she posted. 'A male colleague tried to grab her to no avail. She was unresponsive for 15 minutes, but was revived in the ambulance and then put in an induced coma. 'She has head injuries, and most likely broken bones.' Ms Hristovska was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney's inner west in a critical condition and placed into an induced coma. 'She has bleeding on the brain and a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and probably a broken pelvis,' the friend added in a later update. 'She fell sideways, then backwards, and hit her head. She is not breathing on her own yet. What an absolute tragedy.' Sydney Airport (pictured) say its aerobridges were frequently inspected and serviced under a 'scheduled systematic preventative maintenance program' Ms Hristovska has worked for the airline for 14 years, according to her LinkedIn profile. A fellow Qantas employee posted on social media that staff working at the airport at the time of the tragedy had been 'traumatised' by it. Images of the opening in the aerobridge Ms Hristovska is believed to have fallen through have sparked questions about how the safety risk went unnoticed. Sydney Airport told Daily Mail Australia its aerobridges were frequently inspected and serviced under a 'scheduled systematic preventative maintenance program'. Safework NSW has confirmed investigations into circumstances surrounding the tragic incident are 'ongoing'. Sydney Airport and Qantas told Daily Mail Australia they are assisting the workplace health and safety regulator in its investigations.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Daily Mail
What REALLY happened when a Qantas employee fell through a gaping hole in an aerobridge - as traumatised colleagues hit back at online trolls blaming HER for the five-metre fall
The traumatised colleagues of a Qantas employee who was left comatose after plunging five metres through a hole in an aerobridge have shared new details about the horror fall - and sent a powerful message to her online trolls. Emergency services were called to Sydney Airport at about 1pm on Saturday following reports the female worker in her 40s had fallen onto the tarmac. Paramedics treated her for critical head and internal injuries before she was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in an induced coma. The hospital has declined to provide further information on the request of her family. What caused the incident is unclear, however, images of a gaping hole in the aerobridge have sparked speculation from armchair detectives online. The internet has since run wild with theories, prompting one Qantas employee who claimed to have been working at the time to respond. 'So many unnecessary and uniformed comments as to the true facts that let to this tragic accident today,' she wrote on a Facebook post. 'Please don't speculate what happened to the staff member. I was on shift when this incident unfolded and had traumatised many Qantas staff.' She added the woman followed 'all the correct safety procedures'. Another Facebook user purported to have inside knowledge on the incident and the woman's subsequent medial treatment. 'She was leaning on the side of the aerobridge and it buckled out, separating from the floor. A male colleague tried to grab her to no avail,' she wrote. 'She was unresponsive for 15 minutes, but was revived in the ambulance and then put into an induced coma. She has head injuries and most likely broken bones.' In an update the user wrote: 'Update on aerobridge fall. She has bleeding on the brain and was operated on last night. 'She has a broken collarbone, broken ribs, and probably a broken pelvis. She fell sideways, then backwards, and hit her head. She is not breathing on her own yet. What an absolutely tragedy.' Daily Mail Australia does not suggest the woman's claims are true. She did not respond to a request for comment. A parent of a Qantas employee, who she claimed witnessed the incident, defended the woman after a post attracted a series of insensitive comments from trolls. Safework NSW is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, while Qantas said their focus was on supporting the injured worker 'How dare you, my daughter was a co-worker there and she was put into a coma. Think of her family,' she wrote. Meanwhile, purported associates of the woman have shared messages of support, including one Qantas employee who said she was praying for her. 'So devastating,' she added. A spokesperson for Sydney Airport confirmed a fall had taken place but refused to comment on the images of the hole in the aerobridge. 'On Saturday, an airline employee fell from an aerobridge in the T3 Domestic Terminal,' they said. 'They were attended to by first-aid responders and transferred by ambulance to hospital for further treatment. 'Aerobridges are subject to frequent inspections and are serviced as part of a scheduled systematic preventative maintenance program.' Sydney Airport confirmed Safe Work NSW was conducting investigations. 'Our focus is on the welfare of the injured staff member and assisting Safe Work NSW with their enquiries,' a spokesperson continued. 'We have also made our Employee Assistance Program available to all precinct workers for counselling and support services.' Qantas said its focus was supporting the injured team member. 'Sydney Airport and Qantas will be assisting Safe Work NSW with their investigation,' a spokesperson said. A spokesperson for Safework NSW confirmed investigations are 'ongoing', adding '
