The woman’s leg became trapped at the end of a travelator, leading to a life-altering incident.
If you’ve ever worried about the possibility of getting your leg caught in a travelator at an airport, this story will likely give you chills.
A 57-year-old woman faced a traumatic incident at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, where she was forced to have her leg amputated after it became trapped in the machinery of a travelator.
The accident occurred while she was walking along the moving walkway. At the end of the travelator, her leg somehow became stuck, leading to a horrifying chain of events.
The incident occurred at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, ThailandNathalie Jamois/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
According to reports, the woman tripped over her suitcase and fell through a gap in the travelator, causing her leg to become trapped in the machinery.
Emergency medical personnel rushed to the scene to try and free her leg. Despite their efforts, they had no choice but to amputate her leg just above the knee due to the severe damage, which included severed bones and tendons.
Photographs from the scene showed the woman sitting on the travelator, visibly in distress, with her leg caught in the mechanism.
After the emergency amputation at the airport, her severed limb was placed in a foam box in the hope that it could be reattached. However, after being transferred to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital for further treatment, doctors informed her that her leg could not be saved.
In the aftermath of the incident, her son expressed the family’s heartbreak on Facebook, writing: “My mother’s morale is quite concerning. We got to speak to her a bit before and after the operation… Even though she showed her strength through facial expression and tone of voice, we knew that deep down she was broken because she suddenly lost a leg.”
He further added: “Our family knows very well that we can neither make her leg work like before, nor can we bring back the same life she had lived.”
The woman’s leg became trapped in the travelatorViralPress
Responding to the tragedy, airport director Karun Thanakuljeerapat released a statement saying: “On behalf of the Don Mueang international airport, I’d like to express my deepest condolences regarding the accident.”
He also reassured the public: “I’d like to insist that we will ensure that no such accident will happen again.”
A spokesperson for the airport later provided an update, explaining: “The director of Don Mueang Airport and management has visited the patient to follow up on the treatment and received information from the medical team at Bhumibol Hospital that she is currently in the process of receiving treatment from the medical team.”
She was rushed to hospital after the incident ViralPress
The airport also issued a formal apology, stating: “Don Mueang Airport is deeply saddened by the incident and ready to fully accept the responsibility as well as take care of the medical expenses and compensation.”
Months later, the woman showed incredible resilience as she took her first steps following the accident. Reflecting on this moment, her son shared: “My mum walked for 15 minutes and must practice every day. It’s very encouraging. She’s still as beautiful as ever despite everything that has happened. I hope that soon she’ll be running faster than me.”
