Suicidal worker crashes stolen jet

Sunday Mail 9 A suicidal airpor t worker told air traffic controllers he was “just a broken man” before he crashed a stolen plane.

The 29-year- old ground service agent, referred to as “Rich”, was urged to return the plane back to land safely after he took off in it from Seattle-Tacoma airport on Friday.

The 29-year- old died in the crash 40 miles away on an island.

The Pierce Count y Sheriff ’s department said preliminary information sug ges ted the crash occurred because the man was “doing stunts in the air or lack of flying skills”.

They said he was suicidal and appeared to have acted alone.

Authorities initially said the man was a mechanic but Alaska Airlines later said he was believed to be a ground service agent employed by Horizon.

Those employees direct aircrafts for take- off and gate approach.

A chilling recording of his last conversation with air traf f ic controllers was released following the tragedy.

They tried to guide “Rich” to land the empty plane, saying: “If you could start a left turn and turn back towards east, I know you’ve got a good view but if you go too much further in that direction I won’t be able to hear you any more.”

He told them: “I’ve got a lot of people that care about me, it ’s going to disappoint them to hear that I did this.

“I would like to apologise to each and every one of them. Just a broken guy, got a few screws loose, I guess. Never really knew it, ’til now.”

Video footage wa s captured of the plane doing loops and dangerous stunts before it crashed on Ketron island.