A routine landing turned deadly in New York as a passenger jet struck a fire truck on the runway, shutting down one of America’s busiest airports.
A fatal collision involving an Air Canada Express CRJ-900 has shut down New York’s LaGuardia Airport after the aircraft struck a fire truck during landing late Sunday night, killing both pilots and injuring dozens.
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation and carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, collided with the emergency vehicle on Runway 4 while responding to another aircraft incident on the ground.
Authorities confirmed that the pilot and first officer died in the crash, while at least 32 of the 41 injured passengers have since been discharged, with others still receiving treatment for serious injuries.
Officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the fire truck had been responding to a reported emergency on a United Airlines flight when the collision occurred.
Early air traffic recordings suggest confusion over runway clearance, with investigators now focusing on communication between controllers and emergency crews.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Canada’s Transportation Safety Board have both launched full investigations into the incident.
The crash has forced the closure of LaGuardia Airport, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and major travel disruptions across the U.S., already strained by staffing shortages in aviation and security agencies.
Air safety experts say investigators will examine air traffic control staffing, runway coordination, and emergency response protocols as they work to determine how the fatal collision happened.
Operations at the airport are expected to remain suspended until at least Monday afternoon.
Leave a comment