Several Lufthansa employees were injured on Thursday after the nose landing gear of a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner unexpectedly retracted while the aircraft was parked at Frankfurt Airport in Germany.

According to the airline, the incident occurred shortly after noon at the departure gate, before passengers had boarded a scheduled flight from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.

At the time of the accident, only crew members and ground personnel were on board the aircraft.

Lufthansa said multiple employees sustained injuries and were receiving medical treatment. The airline did not immediately disclose the number of people hurt or the severity of their injuries.

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, one of the carrier’s long-haul passenger jets.

Images circulating on social media appeared to show the aircraft’s nose section tilted toward the ground after the nose gear unexpectedly retracted while the plane was stationary.

Lufthansa said it is working with relevant authorities to determine what caused the incident.

“The circumstances of the accident are currently being investigated," the airline said in a statement.

The unexpected collapse occurred while the aircraft was preparing for departure to Los Angeles, though no passengers were on board at the time, preventing what could have been a more serious incident.

Both Lufthansa and aviation safety authorities have launched an investigation into the malfunction.

The Boeing 787-9 remains grounded as officials examine the aircraft and review maintenance and operational records related to the incident.

Source: News18