Chicago, USA: A United Airlines worker is in critical condition following a collision between a taxiing American Airlines aircraft and the tug vehicle he was operating at Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport on February 1. The incident occurred when the wing of American Eagle Flight 6181, which had just landed from Kalamazoo Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan, struck the tug as it was crossing the runway. According to authorities, the injured worker, a 64-year-old United Airlines employee, was trapped after the collision caused the vehicle to flip.

Emergency responders freed the man and transported him to Lutheran General Hospital with significant injuries to his head and lower body. While initially in critical condition, police later confirmed that his condition had stabilized. United Airlines has pledged to support the employee during his recovery. The worker's identity has not been disclosed.

American Airlines assured the public that none of the passengers or crew on board the flight were harmed, with all deplaning safely and being transported by bus to the terminal. "The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we are reviewing this incident," American Airlines stated.

This accident follows a deadly event earlier in the week, where an American Airlines worker lost their life in a separate accident at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina. Details of that incident, involving an airline ramp vehicle, have not been fully disclosed. The Chicago accident also occurred a day after a medical transport jet crashed in Philadelphia, killing at least seven people, and just days after a tragic mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., which claimed the lives of 67 people. An investigation into the O'Hare incident is ongoing.