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Fatal collision shuts down New York airport
Two pilots died and 41 people were hospitalized after an Air Canada regional jet struck a firefighting vehicle on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, officials confirmed.
Crash details emerge
The incident occurred at approximately 23:40 local time (03:40 GMT Monday) shortly after Air Canada Flight 8646 landed from Montreal. The aircraft, a CRJ 900 operated by Jazz Aviation, collided with a Port Authority fire engine responding to a separate incident involving a United Airlines plane that had reported an odor issue, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said.
Social media footage showed the jet resting with its nose angled upward following the impact. Eyewitness Leo Medina, 23, told the BBC, "We were about 100 meters away. It looked like the plane was cut in half."
Air traffic control audio captured urgent commands: "Truck One, stop, stop, stop!" moments before the crash.
Casualties and injuries
The CRJ 900 was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. All individuals on board have been accounted for, Garcia confirmed. While 32 of the 41 hospitalized individuals were discharged, others sustained serious injuries.
The two occupants of the fire truck-a Port Authority sergeant and police officer-were hospitalized in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Garcia visited both officers, who were able to speak with authorities.
Airport operations disrupted
LaGuardia Airport will remain closed until at least 14:00 local time (18:00 GMT) Monday, Garcia announced. All arrivals and departures have been canceled or delayed, affecting hundreds of flights across carriers including American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, United, and Air Canada.
At Terminal B, where Air Canada operates, nearly all Monday morning departures were canceled by 08:00 local time. Passengers, many with young children, were seen sleeping on floors or waiting on benches as they attempted to rebook flights.
Emergency response and investigations
LaGuardia authorities stated that emergency protocols were activated immediately after the crash, with Port Authority leadership on-site. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation.
"This is a tragic collision. I'm grateful to our first responders, whose swift actions saved lives,"
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani
The New York City Police Department and Fire Department advised travelers to expect delays, road closures, and heavy emergency personnel presence near the airport. Alternate routes were recommended.
Ongoing impact
Highway exits and streets leading to LaGuardia remain closed indefinitely. Authorities have not provided a timeline for reopening or resuming full flight operations.
