A ground crew worker was killed on Monday evening, August 24, 2026, following a fatal accident during pushback operations at Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. local time as a French Bee Airbus A350-900 (registration F-HREY) was preparing to depart for Paris Orly Airport (ORY). The employee, who worked for the ground contractor Samsic Assistance Canada, reportedly tripped and fell onto the tarmac during the pushback sequence, entering the path of the moving aircraft's landing gear. The event was particularly traumatic for those on board, as several passengers witnessed the accident unfolding via the aircraft’s external live camera feed.

Emergency responders arrived on the scene within minutes and transported the worker to a local hospital in critical condition, where they later succumbed to their injuries. Aéroports de Montréal Chief Executive Yves Beauchamp confirmed the casualty, expressing deep condolences and noting that psychological support had been arranged for impacted staff, witnesses, and passengers. French Bee canceled the scheduled flight to Paris, though overall operations across Montreal-Trudeau Airport continued without major disruption.

Multiple regulatory authorities have launched investigations to determine the cause of the accident. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is evaluating safety procedures, pushback protocols, and ground-to-cockpit communications. Concurrently, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Quebec’s workplace safety board (CNESST), and the local coroner’s office are conducting safety audits and technical inquiries to review workplace compliance and prevent future incidents.