A baby has died after his mother left him on an airport conveyor belt in what is being described as a horrific accident.
The tragic incident involving the luggage bag collection belt occurred at Alicante-Elche Airport in Spain at 11:30 p.m. last night. The five-month-old baby boy was placed in a baby carrier, which his mother placed on the unmoving heavy baggage collection belt. The weight of the carrier activated the conveyor belt, setting it in motion.
The mother reportedly watched in horror as her child and the carrier moved quickly down the conveyor belt. The baby became trapped in the rollers of the conveyer belt, where the luggage drops on the belt. Paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to save the baby, who died of injuries.
The child's mother had flown in from London's Gatwick Airport with the baby and another older child. Her husband had been waiting at the arrivals area when the tragic incident happened. The family arrived in Spain for a holiday on the eastern coast of Spain's Costa Blanca.
A Guardia Civil spokesman stated: "We are still in the early stages of the investigation and looking at CCTV footage, but it seems that it was an accident. The mother left the baby on the conveyor belt, which can be activated by detecting weight or by an airport employee. It seems that the baby carrier's weight activated the belt and the child was trapped in the rollers in the drop zone."
A post-mortem examination will be underway to determine what injuries the baby died of.
The identity of both the baby and mother have not been released as of yet.
