An Air India maintenance technician has died after being sucked into an aircraft engine at Mumbai Airport.

Air India chief Ashwani Lohani said the horrific accident happened when the plane, full of passengers for a flight to Hyderabad, was being moved from an airport gate.

He said a pilot misinterpreted a signal and switched on the plane's engine and the maintenance crew member standing nearby was sucked into the engine and killed instantly.

Mr Lohani said the aircraft was being pushed back from the gate when the accident happened.

He said airport and airline authorities had launched an investigation.