A Virgin Atlantic aircraft technician died following an accident at Heathrow Airport in June, a coroner’s court has heard. Georgie Buxton, 23, sustained a traumatic brain injury after being struck in the face on June 11 and died nearly a month later on July 7 at St Mary’s Hospital.

At a hearing held at West London coroners’ court, senior coroner Lydia Brown opened but suspended the inquest into Buxton’s death pending the outcome of potential criminal proceedings. She said a forensic post-mortem confirmed that Buxton had suffered craniofacial trauma as a result of the workplace incident.

“There was an accident at Georgie’s place of work. He took a trauma to the face causing him complex and tragically fatal injuries,” Brown said. Despite undergoing multiple surgeries, Buxton did not survive.

The Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation into the incident and are coordinating with the Health and Safety Executive. Police received the first report of the injury at 8:49 a.m. on June 11 and have yet to disclose whether any charges will be filed.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson expressed deep sadness at the loss of Buxton, describing him as a much-valued member of the engineering team. The airline stated it is providing support to Buxton’s family, friends, and colleagues, while also cooperating with authorities and the aircraft manufacturer to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.

“The safety and wellbeing of our people is always our top priority, and we are devastated by this incident,” the statement said. Buxton’s family has requested privacy during this difficult time.