Woman in critical condition after headscarf gets caught on baggage carousel at Heathrow

A woman is in critical condition after being dragged through baggage handling machines at Heathrow Airport when her headscarf got caught in a conveyor belt.

The unnamed baggage handler was taken to hospital after the incident at Terminal 2 on Wednesday after a Loganair flight from Dundee arrived at around 5.30pm.

It is unclear whether the woman was injured by the impact of a machine or whether she choked on her scarf.

A witness told The Sun: “It was an absolute nightmare.

“No one was there to help her. It’s a miracle she wasn’t killed.”

Luggage is transported through a complex network of chutes at airports and the baggage claim area, behind the scenes, is a dangerous area.

The woman is believed to be a senior employee of Menzies, the company which provides airport ground, cargo and fuel services.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 5.49pm on Wednesday 14 February to reports of an incident at Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport, Hounslow.

“We have dispatched resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an advanced paramedic and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team.

“Our first medics arrived on scene within four minutes. We treated one patient on scene and rushed him to a major trauma center.”

As of Saturday morning, she is understood to remain in hospital while the Health and Safety Executive and the Metropolitan Police carry out inquiries.

Heathrow Airport has been contacted for comment.