A jet bridge collapsed at the Santa Barbara Airport on Tuesday morning.
At approximately 9:25 a.m., airport officials announces that the bridge collapsed while it was undergoing maintenance at Gate 2.
At the time of the incident, the jet bridge was out of service and no passengers were present. Two airport staff sustained minor, non life-threatening injuries and were transported to Cottage Hospital for treatment, according to airport officials.
Officials state the incident is currently under investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse. Out of an abundance of caution, all other jet bridges have been visually inspected and no concerns have been identified, according to the airport.
“This is the first time something like this has happened at Santa Barbara Airport, and we are taking the steps to determine what the exact cause was,” said Chris Hastert, Santa Barbara Airport Director. “It appears to be an isolated incident, but the safety of our passengers and our staff remain our number one priority.”
Following an investigation, SBA states initial findings show this was an isolated accident that occurred while repairs were being conducted on the jet bridge. While the full investigation remains ongoing, there are no indications of concerns with other jet bridges.
“We want to reassure our passengers that all other jet bridges have been carefully inspected and remain safe for use,” SBA stated.
The airport also said the two employees injured in the incident were released from the hospital and are now recovering at home.
A jet bridge is a mobile tunnel that transports passengers and staff from the airport building into the airplane.
Flight operations are not expected to be impacted. Please check with your airline for latest flight status.
[Ed Note: This article has been updated with new information provided by the Santa Barbara Airport]
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Rough landing before takeoff.
That’s embarrassing.