A pilot and co-pilot were killed when an Air Canada plane collided with a ground vehicle at LaGuardia Airport on Monday, NBC News reported citing sources. The accident happened as the aircraft was taxiing toward a gate amid bad weather.
The flight, Air Canada Express CRJ-900 from Montreal, struck a fire truck on the runway, per the New York Post. Two police officers, who were manning the truck, were also injured in the collision and hospitalised. They are reportedly stable.
Operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada’s regional partner, the aircraft rammed the truck at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kmph), according to Flightradar24.
Emergency responders are present at the scene. Photos and videos shared on social media showed damage to the nose and front section of the passenger jet.
About 100 passengers were on board the flight, and their conditions were being evaluated, the New York Post reported.
AUDIO CAPTURES MOMENT DISASTER STRUCK
Audio from air traffic control captured the moments before the collision, with controllers urgently warning the vehicle on the ground.
One transmission said, "Truck 1 and company crossing at Delta."
The tower then instructed another aircraft, "Frontier 4195, just stop there please," before issuing repeated warnings: "Truck 1 stop stop stop. Stop Truck 1, STOP."
According to Reuters, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for all flights at the airport until 0530 GMT, citing an emergency. The regulator indicated a high likelihood of an extension but did not provide further details.
Following the crash, all incoming and outgoing flights were diverted away from LaGuardia. The airport’s website showed arriving planes being rerouted to other airports or returning to their points of origin.
In a separate notice to airmen, the FAA said the airport, one of the most congested and operationally intense, could remain shut until 1800 GMT.
US AIRPORTS UNDER STRAIN
Even before the collision, LaGuardia was grappling with massive congestion linked to a funding standoff affecting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Travellers had reported waiting up to three hours for check-in as staffing shortages disrupted operations nationwide.
Many TSA agents are staying off duty while those who show up are working without pay. Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has offered to pay their salaries.
The crisis stems from an impasse in Washington over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA. Democrats have refused to back the funding measure, first demanding changes that entail more oversight of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is under scrutiny for fatal shootings and excessive use of force during immigration raids.
In response, President Donald Trump said additional ICE personnel would be deployed to major airports to help ease the backlog.
