A man has died after he was sucked into the engine of a departing plane at a Milan airport in northern Italy, local media reports.

The aircraft had just left the stand at Milan Bergamo Airport en route to Asturias, north-western Spain, on Tuesday morning local time (night AEST), according to CNN affiliate Sky TG24, when the incident occurred.

Corriere della Sera newspaper reported that unnamed airport officials said an individual ran onto the tarmac as the plane was preparing to take off and got sucked into the engine.

Authorities have launched an investigation into how the individual was able to reach the runway from outside the airport.

Milan airport officials and police have been contacted for comment.

Officials resumed flights from the transit hub at midday on Tuesday (8pm AEST), according to the airport, after they temporarily delayed flights due to the incident.