Two pilots have died after a passenger plane collided with a fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport. Photos from the scene show the plane tilting backwards with its cockpit almost sheared off. The fire truck is on its side, surrounded by debris, wreckage and warped metal. Authorities reported that 41 people had been taken to hospital, with 31 discharged but others suffering from serious injuries.
Here’s what we know. At around 23:40 local time on Sunday, shortly after Air Canada flight AC8646 had landed from Montreal, it collided with a firefighting vehicle on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport. The truck had been called minutes earlier to a separate incident involving another plane that had reported an issue with odor, according to Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.
An investigation is now underway, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the speed of the aircraft and the staffing of the air traffic control tower.
The aircraft, a CRJ 900 model, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. The identities of the deceased pilots have not yet been released. Authorities confirmed that all other individuals on board have been accounted for, while the occupants of the fire truck are in stable condition, recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
LaGuardia Airport, one of the busiest in the US, is currently closed and may not reopen until the afternoon, severely impacting hundreds of flights. Travelers are advised to expect delays and avoid the airport area if possible as emergency personnel remain at the scene.
Here’s what we know. At around 23:40 local time on Sunday, shortly after Air Canada flight AC8646 had landed from Montreal, it collided with a firefighting vehicle on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport. The truck had been called minutes earlier to a separate incident involving another plane that had reported an issue with odor, according to Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.
An investigation is now underway, with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the speed of the aircraft and the staffing of the air traffic control tower.
The aircraft, a CRJ 900 model, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. The identities of the deceased pilots have not yet been released. Authorities confirmed that all other individuals on board have been accounted for, while the occupants of the fire truck are in stable condition, recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.
LaGuardia Airport, one of the busiest in the US, is currently closed and may not reopen until the afternoon, severely impacting hundreds of flights. Travelers are advised to expect delays and avoid the airport area if possible as emergency personnel remain at the scene.
