A 23-year-old Virgin Atlantic aircraft engineer has died weeks after suffering critical injuries during a maintenance accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow Airport.
Georgie Buxton was seriously injured while carrying out maintenance work on 11 June inside a Heathrow maintenance hangar. He remained in intensive care for nearly four weeks before passing away after his family made the difficult decision to withdraw life support. The Boeing 787 involved has remained out of service since the incident as investigations continue.
Buxton joined Virgin Atlantic in 2024 after previously working as an aircraft technician for Ryanair. Friends and colleagues remembered him as a dedicated young engineer with a passion for aviation and aircraft maintenance.
In a statement, Virgin Atlantic said it was “heartbroken” by the loss of a much-loved member of its engineering team and extended its condolences to Georgie’s family, friends, and colleagues. The airline added that it is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities and Boeing as the investigation continues.
While several media reports have speculated about how the accident occurred, officials have not confirmed the cause, and investigators are still working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.