Rescuers amputate leg of woman stuck in Bangkok airport's moving walkway

A woman’s leg had to be amputated by rescuers in a Thai airport after getting stuck in a travelator Thursday. 

The 57-year-old Thai passenger was due to board a morning flight at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport when she tripped over her suitcase leading to her left leg getting caught in the airport’s travelator in Terminal 2. A medical team eventually had to cut her leg off from above the knee, according to the airport’s officials. 

The woman’s son wrote about the incident in a Facebook post showing concern over his mother’s mental health.  

"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 said. 

She was brought to the Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital for emergency treatment but medical staff told the airport’s director, Karun Thanakuljeerapat, that they sadly cannot reattach her leg. The woman requested to since been transferred to one of the country’s top medical facilities. 

Images of the accident circulating online show the woman trapped beneath the belt at the end of the walkway. w Her suitcase next to her had two missing wheels, while yellow comb plates from the end of the travelator had broken off from the incident. 

Karun told reporters in a news conference that the cause of the incident is under investigation and that they would take responsibility for the woman’s medical costs. 

“On behalf of the Don Mueang International Airport, I’d like to express my deepest condolences regarding the accident,” he said. 

 “I’d like to insist that we will ensure that no such accident will happen again.” he added.