Two people killed when plane collides with fire truck in LaGuardia, New York
An Air Canada Express jet crashes into a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, killing two pilots and injuring dozens of others during landing.
At least two people were killed and dozens injured when an Air Canada Express passenger plane collided with a fire truck on the runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, March 22.
Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority, said in a news conference that the Air Canada Express CRJ-900 passenger plane, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, collided with a vehicle just before 11:40 p.m. Sunday. Garcia said the Port Authority’s aircraft rescue fire vehicle was responding to another aircraft operated by United Airlines that was reporting an odor problem.
Jazz Aviation, which operates as Air Canada Express, confirmed in a statement that the incident involved a plane flying from Montreal to LaGuardia.
The deceased have been identified as the pilot and co-pilot, the company said, citing Port Authority officials in New York and New Jersey.
“Jazz is deeply saddened by the loss of two of our employees and is working to support their families and employees during this difficult time,” the company said.
“Today is an incredibly difficult day for our airline, our employees, and most importantly, the families and loved ones of those affected by Flight 8646,” Jazz Aviation President Doug Clark said in a statement.
“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the two pilots and express my unwavering support to those injured,” he said.
NTSB Headline Investigation
In a March 23 statement, Air Canada also expressed its condolences not only to the families of the victims, but also to “the entire jazz community and their families.”
However, neither the Jazz nor Air Canada would identify the employee’s name or years of service. USA TODAY has reached out to both companies for additional information.
Videos and photos of the crash show visible damage to the nose of the plane, which pitched upward. The National Transportation Safety Board is on the scene and will lead the investigation. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration would send a team to assist the NTSB with its investigation.
“Our prayers this morning are for the families affected by the landslide at LaGuardia Airport,” Duffy said on social media.
Family and friends who would like information about passengers on Air Canada Express flight AC8646 should call Air Canada at 1-800-961-7099, the airline said.
LaGuardia state shut down, hundreds of flights canceled
Meanwhile, operations at LaGuardia Airport were closed until 2pm ET on Monday, March 23, and approximately 543 flights to and from the airport were canceled, according to tracking website FlightAware.
New York City’s emergency notification system says flight cancellations, road closures and traffic delays are expected, and emergency personnel may be on hand near the airport. Entrances to LaGuardia Airport in Queens have since reopened, but emergency officials warned travelers “to expect continued delays.”
The airport also encouraged travelers to check with their airlines for the latest flight information before heading to the airport.
Contributed by: N’dea Yancey-Bragg / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
