Parents of Utah man sue Salt Lake City after his death at airport

The parents of 30-year-old Kyler Efinger filed a lawsuit saying he died after entering a plane engine at Salt Lake City International Airport during an apparent mental health episode; the suit alleges city and airport failures. Undetermined at this time.

Kyler Efinger, 30, died after entering the engine of a Delta plane at Salt Lake City International Airport on January 1, 2024. His parents have filed a lawsuit saying he was experiencing an obvious mental health episode when he left the terminal and reached the tarmac. The complaint alleges city and airport staff did not locate him quickly and that communication failures delayed the search. Salt Lake City’s mayoral office declined to comment to the reporting outlet. Key facts: - The incident occurred on Jan. 1, 2024; Efinger was 30 and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder about ten years earlier. - The parents’ lawsuit says staff could not timely locate a ticketed passenger seen on the tarmac and that pilots were not promptly warned. - The suit alleges emergency exit doors and security systems allowed access to the tarmac and that airport camera monitoring failed to show his movements. - The family filed the suit against Salt Lake City and says damages exceed $300,000; no specific award amount is requested in the complaint. Summary: The lawsuit seeks to address the family’s loss and alleges operational and communication failures at the airport and by city responders. Undetermined at this time.