Plane Collision at LaGuardia Airport
Tragically, two individuals lost their lives and several others were injured after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
The incident happened around 11:40 p.m. on Sunday when an Air Canada Express aircraft was landing on Runway 4. The CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation struck a Port Authority rescue vehicle that was responding to a different emergency, as the airport indicated.
A passenger onboard the flight shared, “That wasn’t pleasant to witness.”
Jazz Aviation confirmed that Flight 8646 was flying from Montreal to LaGuardia, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members.
Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, stated, “We are dedicated to supporting those affected by this incident.” She noted during a news briefing early Monday that 41 individuals from the aircraft had been taken to the hospital, with 32 already released, though some were reported to have serious injuries.
Garcia also confirmed that the pilot and co-pilot of the Air Canada flight were among the fatalities. Fortunately, the personnel in the fire truck sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are currently in stable condition.
In a statement, Air Canada expressed condolences saying, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Jazz employees, and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to their families and the Jazz community.”
Jack Cabot, a passenger on the ill-fated flight, described the landing experience as chaotic: “We touched down normally but then we hit something immediately. It was absolute mayhem inside for those brief five seconds.” He mentioned that after a quick pause, passengers started yelling and crouching in fear.
“We didn’t get any instructions since the cockpit was destroyed, so someone suggested we use the emergency exit, and that’s what we did,” Cabot added.
In recordings from the control tower, ground controllers urgently ordered the fire truck to stop, stating, “Stop there…stop, stop, stop!” Moments later, they informed the plane that it had collided with a vehicle.
According to Garcia, the rescue vehicle was responding to a reported odor issue at a United Airlines location.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Meanwhile, travelers at LaGuardia were warned of extended wait times at security checkpoints due to staffing issues stemming from federal funding lapses. Days before the incident, the agency announced the airport would remain closed until at least 2 p.m. on Monday, when assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was expected.
As of Monday morning, the New York City police announced that all access roads and highway exits to the airport were closed until further notice.
Data from the Federal Aviation Administration indicated that LaGuardia Airport is projected to be the 19th busiest airport in the U.S. in 2024.
