A horrific workplace tragedy occurred at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Aug. 27, when two Delta Air Lines workers died in a freak accident at a maintenance facility.
The Atlanta airport quickly issued a statement on social media but incorporated Delta’s company slogan — “Keep Climbing” — into their words of condolence. The now-deleted post on X has sparked a firestorm online, with many shocked at the insensitivity toward the grieving loved ones.
“We send condolences to our partners as they continue to ‘Keep Climbing’ during this difficult time,” the airport said in the tweet.
Mirko Marweg, 58, and Luis Aldarondo, 37, were killed after a tire exploded while wheel components were being disassembled for maintenance. The tragedy happened around 5 a.m. at Delta’s TechOps Tire and Maintenance facility near the airport. A third worker, who has not been identified, was injured and taken to Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital, where he is reportedly still receiving care.
A report from Atlanta Fire Rescue included statements from a co-worker who witnessed the aftermath, stated local news outlet 11Alive.
“I heard an explosion behind me and saw my co-workers running away from the direction of the explosion. I realized they were running to get help,” read the report, noting that the witness saw blood and a body.
Marweg’s remains were so injured the Clayton County Medical Examiner denied the family’s request to see his body, deeming him “unrecognizable,” his son Andre Coleman told the TV station. “I’m in a state of shock,” Coleman said adding, “I wanted to view the body because I didn’t believe it was true.”
He also revealed that his father was identified by his tattoos and the lanyard around his neck.
The longtime Delta employee had four children and was looking forward to retirement next June, said his wife of 28 years, Scottie Ann.
“I don’t know how I’m feeling. I’m in disbelief. It’s so weird. We’ve been together so long,” she told Atlanta News First, describing the man known to his family as “Mr. Fix-It.”
“He had a big heart, a big smile,” she continued. “He would help anybody. He loved his family. He was a planner. He was smart.”
She said Marweg was an Air Force veteran who worked in the painting shop at Delta’s maintenance center for two decades and loved his job.
“Just getting through one day at a time, one hour at a time,” she said. “I have my family around me and friends, so I’m blessed.”
The “Keep Climbing” tweet was particularly infuriating because it appeared the airport was piggybacking on the tragedy to endorse a corporate brand. When individuals make mistakes on social media, it’s easy enough to fix or delete, but for big businesses, it’s a different story, with posts living on.
“I’m sorry but it is highly inappropriate to put a slogan right next to the condolence message. If you’re this lazy, at least a chatgpt check would have saved you,” one user replied to the post. “PIO (Public Information Officer) pro tip: Don’t be an idiot. Using your corporate slogan when people died is a WILD choice,” another user wrote.
After the offending tweet was deleted, however, Delta released a statement to all employees, obtained by 11Alive, and it expressed heartfelt condolences. John Laughter, head of Delta TechOps, where the deceased and injured worked, said he was “deeply saddened” and promised to provide assistance and support to help their co-workers through the grief.
An investigation into their deaths by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is underway, reported Fox Business. The cause of the explosion has not yet been released.
