Dublin Airport Tragedy: Family of Cargo Handler Express Outrage Following Inquest Findings

DUBLIN – The family of Richard Gracey, a 64-year-old cargo handler who tragically died after falling from an aircraft at Dublin Airport in 2018, has voiced deep frustration and sorrow following revelations made during a recent inquest into the circumstances of his death. The jury returned a verdict of workplace-related fatality, shedding light on multiple procedural lapses and safety failings.

Mr. Gracey, a father of five from Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, sustained fatal injuries after falling headfirst from a height of five metres while unloading cargo from an Air France aircraft on November 24, 2018. A postmortem confirmed he died of severe brain injuries due to a fractured skull, consistent with a high fall. Employed by Swissport Ireland since 2005, Mr. Gracey was declared dead upon arrival at Beaumont Hospital.

In a statement issued after the inquest, the Gracey family expressed “outrage” at the failures to uphold basic safety standards. “We have endured six and a half traumatic and devastating years with no knowledge or closure,” the family said, describing the lack of accountability as profoundly distressing.

The jury at Dublin District Coroner’s Court acknowledged procedural reforms made by Swissport in the aftermath of the incident but urged the company to increase the frequency of safety training for staff.

Testimonies revealed that Mr. Gracey fell while unloading a Boeing 777 flight from Chicago. Witnesses described how he appeared to fall over the top of a safety net and tried to grab it before plummeting to the ground. A Health and Safety Authority (HSA) investigation determined that Swissport’s standard operating procedures were not adhered to. Notably, the cargo door sills were deployed before the loader had been correctly positioned — a deviation that left a 2.7-metre gap between the aircraft and the vehicle, far exceeding the safe range of 8–10cm.

Under questioning by the family’s counsel, Anthony Walker SC, HSA inspector Brian Morris confirmed that this gap significantly increased the risk of a fall. He also noted that the safety net was not designed to physically prevent someone from falling and that the use of safety harnesses was not an industry standard.

In 2023, Swissport Ireland was fined €250,000 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to two charges under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, including the failure to provide adequate fall prevention measures. In her victim impact statement, Mr. Gracey’s wife, Therese, recalled her husband referring to his workplace as “accidents waiting to happen.”

The family later reached a confidential settlement in a related High Court civil case involving Swissport, Boeing, and Air France.

Consultant engineer Damien Power, who assisted the HSA, identified two technical faults with the aircraft that may have contributed to the incident. These included a broken pin affecting a guide shoe — a possible tripping hazard — and an anchor point for the safety net that appeared secure but could be dislodged under pressure. He noted that while the net could hold up to 107 kg in tests, its primary function was as a visual warning strap.

Swissport’s legal counsel, Alison Foynes BL, emphasized that the loader was not deemed a contributing factor in the criminal proceedings. Mr. Power ultimately agreed under cross-examination that the loader's dimensions were not directly related to the fatality.

Speaking at the inquest, Swissport’s senior representative Sinead Kelly stated that the company has since revised its protocols to require that cargo door sills only be opened from outside the aircraft by the loader operator. She noted that there had been no similar safety incidents reported in over 500,000 ground operations since January 2022.

Mrs. Gracey, who formally identified her husband’s body, said he was not scheduled to work that day and had been in good spirits the night before. Following the inquest, she expressed disappointment that neither the coroner nor the jury recommended Boeing implement mandatory safety nets across all cargo aircraft.

“We do not believe the fine imposed truly reflects the gravity of Swissport’s failure to ensure a safe workplace,” she said, adding that the family remains committed to campaigning for stronger industry-wide safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.

A Swissport spokesperson expressed the company’s hope that the proceedings had provided some measure of closure for the Gracey family. “The health and safety of our employees and aviation customers remains our utmost priority,” the company said, reaffirming its commitment to ongoing operational improvements.