- Images from the scene showed severe damage to the front section of the plane
- Following the incident, aviation regulators ordered a complete shutdown of flights at the airport
- Officials temporarily closed the airport to manage emergency operations and begin a full investigation
A late-night accident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday left two crew members dead and disrupted flight operations after a passenger jet collided with an airport fire truck.
According to officials and reports from US media, the aircraft, an Air Canada Express flight arriving from Montreal, struck the emergency vehicle while moving along the runway, Eko Hot Blog gathered.
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Images from the scene showed severe damage to the front section of the plane, with emergency crews surrounding it and flashing lights illuminating the tarmac.
The pilot and co-pilot lost their lives in the crash, while 13 others, including passengers and first responders, were injured and taken to hospital for treatment. The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 76 people in total, including four crew members.
Authorities said the collision occurred around 11:40 p.m. as the fire truck was heading to respond to another incident on Runway 4. Early data suggests the plane was taxiing or accelerating when it hit the vehicle crossing its path.
Following the incident, aviation regulators ordered a complete shutdown of flights at the airport, warning that disruptions could last for an extended period.
Officials temporarily closed the airport to manage emergency operations and begin a full investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed a team to examine the cause of the crash, while local emergency management agencies advised the public to expect traffic congestion, road closures, and delays in the surrounding area.
The incident added to existing travel difficulties at LaGuardia, which had already been experiencing weather-related delays and staffing shortages affecting security screening.
Located in Queens, LaGuardia is one of New York City’s busiest airports, handling tens of millions of passengers annually. The facility recently underwent a major redevelopment aimed at modernizing its infrastructure.
This crash is among several serious aviation incidents in the United States in recent years, including both midair and ground collisions that have raised ongoing safety concerns.
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