Several individuals are believed to have sustained injuries following an incident at a major international airport. Approximately 17 people were reportedly caught up in the mishap when a specialized vehicle resembling a bus, designed to transport passengers between the terminal and an aircraft, crashed at Washington Dulles International Airport, located around 26 miles west of Washington D.C., on Monday, November 10.
The fully occupied mobile lounge, commonly referred to as ‘people movers’, collided with a docking area upon approaching the building around 4:30 p.m. local time, as stated by the airport on its X platform, previously known as Twitter. According to the airport’s announcement, passengers disembarked from the mobile lounge using stairs and are currently being assessed by the Airports Authority Fire & Rescue team for potential injuries.
Reports from the Daily Star indicated that local hospitals have been given preliminary notice to prepare for up to 17 patients. These mobile lounges have been in operation since the airport’s inauguration in 1962, but discussions about discontinuing their use have emerged recently.
In a recent development, a nominee for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Board of Directors expressed intentions to phase out the people movers at the airport if appointed, as reported by AirlineGeeks. Despite the incident, the airport remains operational, and regular activities are ongoing.