VIDEO OF HORROR ACCIDENT AT DELTA: Latest Information

Safety
15 December 2022

Camdyn Harris, an Atlanta-based Fleet Service Worker at Delta Air Lines who was struck and crushed by a passing lav truck while guiding an aircraft into her gate, is alive and, while severely injured, is expected to recover. The incident happened on December 10, just after 6:00 in the evening.

Horrific video of the accident showed the ground agent standing behind gate C 36 at Hartsfield-Jackson. She was helping to provide a safe pathway for an approaching Boeing 717 aircraft. As the regional jet turns into the gate, the young ramp worker is suddenly struck from behind by a lav truck at near-full speed. The flat front grill of the vehicle threw her into the concrete, shattering bones in her face and causing other serious injuries. It also shows the truck’s rear tires passing over her body.

The video then shows the aircraft and the lav truck slamming their brakes. The truck operator then rushes out of his vehicle to attend to the fallen wing walker and several other people working nearby. A police report following the incident says that she was found “bleeding from the head but was stable” and that she was transported to nearby Grady Hospital. The police report goes on to say that the lav truck driver was “looking down at his assignment tablet” just before striking the ramp worker. Police cited him, his badge was confiscated, and he was escorted from the airport. 

The tragic incident was a major topic at Machinists Union District 141 Safety Conference, held this year in Orlando. The Safety Conference brings front-line airline workers, members of airline management and other safety experts together each year to discuss ways to make airports safer places to work.

Her mother, Chanelle Harris, said those who rushed to her aid initially thought the teenage ramp worker had died. “Believed to be dead and without breath, she regained consciousness and was rushed to Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” her mother said. “Thank you, God, for sending my baby back to us.”

Her mother also said that Camdyn was facing a long recovery. 

 “Thankfully, her spine was left intact,” Harris said of her daughter’s injuries. “But Camdyn suffered many broken bones in her face, a fractured skull, and a serious concussion. She has had difficulty finding her words and remembering things since the incident. We pray for a full recovery, but know that it will be a long one that will require much love, attention and support,” she continued.

Her mother asked that the video be shown, hoping it would lead to safer working conditions at Delta and other airlines. Since first appearing on Twitter, it has quickly gone viral, having been picked up by local media outlets. 

In a statement reported by Local News Outlet Fox News 5, Delta Air Lines sought to minimize the accident, stressing that Camdyn’s injuries were only “non-life-threatening.” 

“Delta teams are fully investigating an accident involving an employee injury in Atlanta on Saturday evening, as nothing is more important than the safety of our people and our customers,” the message read. “The employee was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”

It’s unclear if Delta is resisting a workers’ compensation claim or offering other financial assistance to Camdyn or her family. Her mother has started a GoFundMe page to ask for help from the public. As of December 15, five days after the accident, the page had collected $1,247.

UPDATE: Donations to Camdyn Harris and her family have increased since this article was written. Donations have poured in from around the nation and will likely reach several thousand dollars by this weekend. Currently, more than $5,000 in donations have been made. 

Camdyn Harris, a Delta Ramp Worker struck by a Lav Truck while guiding in an aircraft at ATL Airport. 

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes Extends his Contract

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes Extends his ContractJustice at JetBlue14 December 2022In a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing yesterday, JetBlue Airways announced that CEO Robin Hayes’ CONTRACT has been extended two years to 2025. At the same time, JetBlue...

JetBlue Ground Workers to Vote for Machinists Union

JetBlue Ground Workers to Vote for Machinists UnionJustice at JetBlueFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 29, 2022, WASHINGTON DC—The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today announced that the National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal...

Historic Union Alliance at Delta

Delta is now facing three of the largest unions in North American at the same time. Get ready for pizza parties. Historic Union Alliance Forms at DeltaGOIAM.org28 November 2022North America's three largest airline unions have formed a historic alliance to unify tens...

Union vs Non-Union Thanksgiving Pay

Working on Thanksgiving? How JetBlue GO Crewmembers Holiday Pay Compares to Other Unionized GO Workers Justice at JetBlue22 November 2022The airline industry, as we know, is a 24/7 operation, and working on a holiday is part of the job. However, how we are COMPENSATED...

JetBlue Hits More Turbulence

JetBlue is a company that has been mismanaged for years. Now, that poor management has invited numerous court actions and unwanted ire from the Justice Department. JetBlue Merger Hits More TurbulanceOrganizing7 November 2022JetBlue is facing mounting scrutiny over its...

JetBlue Lies Exposed in MCO

JetBlue's VP of Airport Experiences tried to convince Ground Ops Crewmembers to give the airline another year to fix things. JetBlue Lies Exposed in MCOOrganizing4 November 2022Vice President of Airports Experience, Dana Shapir, has been hitting the road since GO...

Airline Profits: Union Made

Record summer airline profits are proof that workers are assets that should be invested in, not liabilities that should be limited. Summer 2022 Airline Profits: Union MadeOrganizing31 October 2022Unions create a workplace where workers take their jobs seriously,...

A Halloween Story About Dues at JetBlue

Supervisors at JetBlue think Crewmembers should be scared of dues, but it's abusive supervisors who have the most to fear from a well-funded, unified workplace.  A Halloween Story About Dues at JetBlueOrganizing31 October 2022Anti-Union managers at JetBlue seem to...

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

VIDEO OF HORROR ACCIDENT AT DELTA: Latest Information

15 December 2022

Camdyn Harris, an Atlanta-based Fleet Service Worker at Delta Air Lines who was struck and crushed by a passing lav truck while guiding an aircraft into her gate, is alive and, while severely injured, is expected to recover. The incident happened on December 10, just after 6:00 in the evening.

Horrific video of the accident showed the ground agent standing behind gate C 36 at Hartsfield-Jackson. She was helping to provide a safe pathway for an approaching Boeing 717 aircraft. As the regional jet turns into the gate, the young ramp worker is suddenly struck from behind by a lav truck at near-full speed. The flat front grill of the vehicle threw her into the concrete, shattering bones in her face and causing other serious injuries. It also shows the truck’s rear tires passing over her body.

The video then shows the aircraft and the lav truck slamming their brakes. The truck operator then rushes out of his vehicle to attend to the fallen wing walker and several other people working nearby. A police report following the incident says that she was found “bleeding from the head but was stable” and that she was transported to nearby Grady Hospital. The police report goes on to say that the lav truck driver was “looking down at his assignment tablet” just before striking the ramp worker. Police cited him, his badge was confiscated, and he was escorted from the airport.

Her mother, Chanelle Harris, said those who rushed to her aid initially thought the teenage ramp worker had died. “Believed to be dead and without breath, she regained consciousness and was rushed to Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” her mother said. “Thank you, God, for sending my baby back to us.”

Her mother also said that Camdyn was facing a long recovery.  “Thankfully, her spine was left intact,” Harris said of her daughter’s injuries. “But Camdyn suffered many broken bones in her face, a fractured skull, and a serious concussion. She has had difficulty finding her words and remembering things since the incident. We pray for a full recovery, but know that it will be a long one that will require much love, attention and support,” she continued.

 

The tragic incident was a major topic at Machinists Union District 141 Safety Conference, held this year in Orlando. The Safety Conference brings front-line airline workers, members of airline management and other safety experts together each year to discuss ways to make airports safer places to work.

Her mother asked that the video be shown, hoping it would lead to safer working conditions at Delta and other airlines. Since first appearing on Twitter, it has quickly gone viral, having been picked up by local media outlets. 

In a statement reported by Local News Outlet Fox News 5, Delta Air Lines sought to minimize the accident, stressing that Camdyn’s injuries were only “non-life-threatening.” 

“Delta teams are fully investigating an accident involving an employee injury in Atlanta on Saturday evening, as nothing is more important than the safety of our people and our customers,” the message read. “The employee was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”

It’s unclear if Delta is resisting a workers’ compensation claim or offering other financial assistance to Camdyn or her family. Her mother has started a GoFundMe page to ask for help from the public. As of December 15, five days after the accident, the page had collected $1,247.

UPDATE: Donations to Camdyn Harris and her family have increased since this article was written. Donations have poured in from around the nation and will likely reach several thousand dollars by this weekend. Currently, more than $5,000 in donations have been made. 

Related News

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

February Helping Hands: Financial Health

EAP Peers:        February is often a month that people are struggling with finances after the holidays. We focus on a government agency that has some terrific resources - the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. This agency has a myriad of resources to help with any...

Share This