Woman, 21, dies after getting trapped in machine at work while trying to retrieve AirPod

Alyssa Drinkard, 21, pronounced dead in hospital

A 21-year-old woman has been killed after getting caught in a machine at work while trying to retrieve her AirPod.

Alyssa Drinkard was a contract worker at Club Car, a company that makes golf carts and other vehicles, in Augusta, Georgia.

During her shift at around 9.45pm on 8 March, Ms Drinkard dropped her Apple earbud beneath the conveyor machine, according to the report obtained by NBC. When she went to reach for the Airpod under the machine, she became trapped in the chain that moves the conveyor, according to a witness.

Ms Drinkard was then reportedly pinned down in a way that her colleague was unable to free her, according to the report, who called for maintenance to shut down the machine.

Emergency responders were able to free the young woman by “cutting the metal frame from around the conveyor and pulling her out,” NBC said. The first responders performed life-saving measures on Ms Drinkard before she was taken to hospital.

Ms Drinkard was pronounced dead in hospital, Major Steve Morris from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office toldThe Augusta Press reported. Her cause of death is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation .

The Independent has contacted the Columbia Sheriff’s Office for further information and Club Car for comment.

The Club Car manufacturing site in Augusta, Georgia (WRDW)

Fae’Zsha Smith, who was working alongside Ms Drinkard when the incident took place told NBC that she was “traumatised”.

Ms Smith said that Ms Drinkard dropped her headphone, and that she told her she would grab it for her, once it was safe to do so. Seconds later, Ms Smith said that she saw Ms Drinkard had become caught in the machine.

“Before I know it, I look up and I look around. For the most part, something in my spirit told me to look down. The only thing I did see was just her arm and her Apple watch and just a lot of blood; the blood just was continuously coming,”  she told WRDW.

“I can’t tell you for the life of me what made her go under there, why she went under there. I’m not sure she heard me tell her to wait; I was going to help her. I don’t know.”

Fae’Zsha Smith witnessed the incident that left her colleague dead (WRDW)

In a statement to The Augusta Press, Club Car said that “a contract labour worker experienced a critical injury while working at our main manufacturing facility in Evans” on Friday.

“First responders were immediately notified, and we thank them for their quick response to provide medical care and transportation to the hospital where the worker unfortunately later passed away,” the company said. “Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the family, friends and all impacted by this loss.”

The company said that it is working with the authorities and the contractor to investigate the incident.

Ms Smith said she will remember her colleague as being “always so sweet” and “always had a smile on her face," Ms Smith told NBC.