Air Canada Plane Collides with Fire Truck at LaGuardia Airport

An Air Canada aircraft had a serious accident at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night when it collided with a Port Authority fire truck, leading to considerable damage to the plane’s front end.

UPDATE: In a tragic twist, two pilots lost their lives, while 41 individuals were transported to the hospital following the crash that devastated the front portion of a Bombardier CRJ-900 jet. This incident caused a significant disruption at a key travel hub for much of Monday.

Authorities indicated that the pilot and co-pilot were pronounced dead at the scene. There were also injuries among many of the 72 passengers and four crew members on board.

The names of those deceased have not been disclosed yet.

The initial details indicate the crash took place around 11:38 p.m. ET, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the New York City Fire Department.

According to flight tracking information, the involved aircraft was Air Canada Flight 8646, managed by regional airline Jazz. The CRJ-900 model, now made by Mitsubishi, typically seats about 76 passengers.

This flight departed from Montreal Trudeau International Airport shortly after 10:30 p.m. ET before landing at LaGuardia about an hour later.

Audio recordings from the event reveal that air traffic control had allowed the Port Authority truck to cross the runway. Moments before the crash, the truck was instructed to halt, which unfortunately came too late.

“JAZZ 646, we see you collided with a vehicle. Just hold your position. We know you can’t move. The vehicle is responding to you now,” the air traffic controller can be heard stating.

Images and videos from the scene showed significant destruction to the front of the aircraft, where cables and debris were seen hanging from the damaged cockpit.

A nearby emergency vehicle was also visibly damaged.

As the news spread, various videos began circulating on social media platforms, capturing the aftermath of the incident.

Authorities have yet to assess the full extent of the damages or confirm any injuries among the fire truck personnel.

The Federal Aviation Administration took note of operational disruptions, indicating that LaGuardia likely faced shutdowns following the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board has initiated an investigation into what transpired.