Disabled passenger died after he fell down Gatwick Airport escalator

Disabled easyJet passenger, 82, died after fracturing his spine when he fell down escalator at Gatwick Airport after deciding against using special assistance wheelchair, inquest hears

• Gerardo Silano, 82, fell down an escalator after he couldn’t join his wife in a lift 
• He fractured his spine and died on his way home from Napoli on June, 15, 2022  
• Gatwick said staff shortages didn’t contribute to this tragic incident
• The inquest was adjourned to date next year for further evidence

The disabled passenger who fell to his death on an escalator at Gatwick Airport died after he fractured his spine, an inquest heard today.

Father-of-three Gerardo Silano, 82, fell down an escalator after he couldn’t join his wife, Irma, 78, in a small lift leading up to the North Terminal after a holiday in Italy at 12.50pm on June, 15, 2022. 

Gatwick was one of many airports that witnessed huge queues and flight chaos caused by staff shortages over the summer.

An inquest into his death today in Chichester heard that although special assistance had been booked and was waiting for the couple on arrival, Mr Silano decided to walk with his family. 

Gerardo Silano, 82, fell down an escalator after he couldn’t join his wife, Irma, 78, in a small lift leading up to the North terminal after a holiday in Italy at 12.50pm on June, 15, 2022 [File image]

The grandfather-of-four from Basingstoke, Hampshire joined his son, Pasquale Silano, 49, on the escalator heading to the North Terminal by Gatwick’s Skybridge. 

Pasquale admitted he had not been paying full attention to what was going on and was ‘multi-tasking’ as the family left the plane and entered the terminal.

He saw his mother waiting in the wheelchair for the lift to arrive and told his father to get in the lift with her.

He said he did not see his father follow onto the escalator but as he made his way towards ‘Baggage Reclaim’ he heard a commotion behind him.

An inquest into his death today in Chichester heard that although special assistance had been booked and was waiting for the couple on arrival, Mr Silano decided to take the escalator with his son Pasquale  [File image]

In a statement read to the inquest he said: ‘I heard a woman shout and then a woman scream. When I approached the escalator and looked down it I could see my dad lying at the bottom of it.

‘I dropped my bag and ran down the escalator and saw some Easyjet staff running to help him. I held my dad’s hand. I could see in his eyes he was hurt. My dad had fallen some distance.’

Pasquale said Easyjet staff took over and helped his father into a recovery position and an ambulance was called and he ‘felt confident everything was being done’ by airport staff to save his dad’s life.

He said: ‘Dad lived a long and good life and he had weathered and triumphed over so many things recently we thought he was indestructible.’

‘Being a grandfather showed us his softer side. He loved his family and was always at his happiest when he was surrounded by them. Dad also had a love for gardening and enjoyed his days at the allotment.’

The family said Mr Silano was a ‘strong and resilient’ man who had been married more than 50 years and loved being a grandfather.

A statement from the family said: ‘Dad lived a long good life. Losing him so suddenly came as such a shock to us all.

‘Dad always worked incredibly hard to provide for his family. He was a warrior. Mum and dad were married for more than 50 years.

‘His wife, his children, and his grandchildren meant everything to him. He loved his family and was always happiest when he was around them.’

The inquest was adjourned to date next year for further evidence and Gatwick Airport says staff shortages nor a delay in special assistance did not contribute to this tragic incident.

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said: ‘Our thoughts continue to be with the Silano family at this difficult time.

‘It would not be appropriate to go into detail ahead of the conclusion of the inquest. However what I can say is special assistance was provided as requested and did not play a role in the sad incident.’

What is Gatwick’s £110million Skybridge?

The Skybridge was created to eliminate the need to bus people to and from their aircraft at one of the UK’s biggest airports and cost £110million.

Around 55,000 transfer-bus journeys a year were saved by the 194 metre long bridge at Gatwick airport in West Sussex.

Linking Pier 6 to Gatwick’s North Terminal the 2,700-ton bridge is the largest in the world to pass over an airport taxiway.

At 32m, it is high enough for Boeing 747 jumbo jets to pass underneath. At a ceremony including professional dancers and a band, the bridge was officially opened by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling who described it as ‘a terrific new facility’.

He added at the time: ‘The Government’s air transport White Paper emphasised the importance of Gatwick as one of the busiest international airports in the world. The airport has an important and growing role in helping to meet future demands for air travel to and from the UK and in contributing to the economic benefit that aviation brings to this country.

‘This bridge will make it easier for passengers to pass through the airport while reducing the airport’s impact on the environment.’

Mike Clasper, chief executive of airport operator BAA, had also hailed the bridge: ‘This major new landmark for Gatwick sets the stage for a positive future for the airport at a time when passenger numbers are booming and when it is growing a strong network of world wide routes and is continuing to be a pioneer for sustainable growth.’

The pier at Gatwick provides 11 new aircraft stands and around three million passengers a year will use the bridge.

The bridge is designed to expand or contract by one millimetre for every one degree change in the temperature.

The pier is the biggest project at Gatwick since the North Terminal opened in 1988.

The Skybridge was built in 2005 and replaced the need for buses to take passengers from jets

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