A 30-year-old man, Kyler Efinger, from Park City, has been found dead at Salt Lake City International Airport after breaching an emergency exit door and climbing inside a jet engine. The incident occurred on a Delta Airlines plane, and Efinger was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death is still under investigation, and it may include a toxicology report.
Event Timeline
- Kyler Efinger, a ticketed passenger with a boarding pass to Denver, breached an emergency exit door on the plane.
- He walked onto the tarmac and climbed inside the jet’s engine, which was mounted to the wing of the commercial aircraft.
- The plane was loaded with passengers and parked atop a de-icing pad at the time of the incident.
- The manager of a store at the airport reported a disturbance just before 10 p.m., and officers found Efinger unconscious inside the engine intake cowling, which directs air flow to the engine fan.
- First responders attempted life-saving measures, performing CPR and administering naloxone, a fast-acting medication that can reverse opioid overdose and restore normal breathing.
- Efinger was pronounced dead at the scene, and Salt Lake City police are working with the state medical examiner’s office to determine the cause of death.
Airport Operations
Despite the incident, the overall operation of the airport was not affected, and passengers were taken off the plane where Efinger was found. The Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board are working with Salt Lake City police to investigate the incident.This tragic event serves as a reminder of the importance of airport security and the potential risks associated with breaching security measures.
