Baby killed in Alicante airport accident.

[G-CPTN]

BBC News - Baby killed in Alicante airport accident (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24166033)

[Tray Surfer]

My lord... How terrible.

[PAXboy]

No words. One might presume that, if a conveyor belt starts, it would give a warning sound? Carousels give the 'honk-honk' before they start and one might hope that other belts would give warning that they are about to start.

[edi_local]

In every airport I've ever been to in various parts of the world (even Pyongyang International) there is at least a siren or some kind of audible and visual warning telling people the belt is about to start. I would find it hard to believe that Alicante doesn't have such a thing.

My only guess is that the baby was placed very close to the end of the belt which is why they slipped out of reach so quickly. Baggage belts do not move at lightening speed, so even a few meters from the end would mean someone would have seen the baby and stopped the belt or picked the child up.

[Burnie5204]

I was quite surprised to hear that the Alicante Out Of Gauge belt is weight activated and not operator controlled.

It sounds like the carrier and child were put on the Check In Hall OOG belt and then started whisking the child carrier away behind the scenes towards the Outbound Bag Docks

[Lord Spandex Masher]

Shouldn't the headline read - Baby Killed in Stupid Parenting Accident?

[ExXB]

I was hesitating to apportion blame until all the facts are in.

Wonder if this partially due to a clash of cultures. The mother is from an environment where everything has a warning label affixed in an place where warning labels are rare. If it doesn't say it's dangerous; it must be safe.

Terrible result and I cannot imagine what the Mother is going through.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

The trouble with nanny state/cotton wool etc. etc. But what about common sense?

You're obviously a bit more moderate than me ExXB:ok:

[Shack37]

Wonder if this partially due to a clash of cultures. The mother is from an environment where everything has a warning label affixed in an place where warning labels are rare. If it doesn't say it's dangerous; it must be safe.

ExXB
I think you're doing Spain an injustice, there are warning horns and flashing lights at the conveyors but you still see parents chatting obliviously there while little Johnny tries to ride the belt. Warning signs are usually in Spanish and English.
I feel for the mother, losing a child under any circumstances is tragic but if she feels that a moments inattention by her contributed to the accident it's impossible to imagine what she must be going through.

[ExXB]

My apologies to the Spaniards. I can't recall ever seeing a warning at GVA airport, although there is a horn when they start up.

[Terry Dactil]

Just how dumb do you have to be to place a baby on machinery obviously designed to move things that are on it :confused:
Doubtless there will be lawyers claiming that the airport is at fault for not having it fenced off and patrolled by armed guards.

[Sunnyjohn]

I'm with ExXB on this - I'd like to know a bit more. Is the out of gauge belt raised or at floor level? It occurred to me that the buggy could have been moved onto the belt without the distracted parent realising. Obviously if the belt is raised, as is normal, this would not be the case. Still, I would like to know a bit more before pointing fingers.

[DaveReidUK]

It occurred to me that the buggy could have been moved onto the belt without the distracted parent realising.There is no mention of a buggy (i.e. wheeled) in the BBC report, which talks about a "baby carrier" being "placed" on the belt.

[Evanelpus]

I feel for them but I fear the blame for this lays squarely on the parents. You've got to be a complete donut placing anything on the belt, let alone a baby (either 'loose' or in a carry on).

Mind you, earlier on this year whilst waiting for my luggage to arrive on the belt at Alicante, I was amazed at how many people sit on the edge of the machinery and still don't move when the sirens go off.