A 57-year-old Thai woman lost her leg when it became stuck in a moving walkway at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport on Thursday. The woman was set to board a flight when she tripped over her suitcase and her leg was caught in the walkway. Doctors are hopeful that the mangled limb can be reattached.
The on-site medical team struggled to free the woman before eventually amputating her left leg from above the knee. She was first rushed to Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, where she was told her leg could not be reattached.
The woman is now receiving a second opinion at Banrungrad International Hospital, where doctors have said the leg can be reattached. The airport said it will cover the passenger’s medical costs and is open to discussing additional compensation.
The moving walkway involved in the accident was manufactured in 1996 by the Japanese company Hitachi. There were suitcase wheels found under the walkway after the incident, though it is unclear how this may have contributed to the freak accident.
The airport has said it will investigate the incident and take steps to ensure that nothing like this happens again.