Two pilots have died after a passenger plane collided with a fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport. Photos from the scene show the plane tilting backwards with its cockpit almost sheared off. The fire truck is on its side, surrounded by debris, wreckage, and warped metal.
Authorities said 41 people had been taken to hospital, with 31 later discharged but others suffering from serious injuries.
Here’s what we know:
What happened?
At around 23:40 local time on Sunday, shortly after Air Canada flight AC8646 had landed from Montreal, it collided with a firefighting vehicle on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport. The truck had been called minutes earlier to a separate incident on board another plane which had reported an issue with odour, according to Port Authority executive director Kathryn Garcia.
After the collision took place, authorities immediately responded, Garcia said. An investigation is now underway to determine what happened. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be looking at the speed the plane was moving, the staffing of the air traffic control tower at the time, and if anybody was ejected from the aircraft, according to Garcia.
Who are the victims?
The aircraft – a CRJ 900 model - was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. The identities of the two pilots who died have not yet been made public. All others on board the plane have been accounted for, Garcia said, while adding that the sergeant and police officer who were inside the firefighting vehicle were in stable condition in hospital with no life-threatening injuries.
Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani said he had been briefed on the tragic collision and expressed gratitude to first responders. Governor Kathy Hochul called the incident heartbreaking and extended thoughts to the victims and their families.
How will travel be affected?
LaGuardia Airport is currently closed, with the earliest it could reopen being 14:00 ET (18:00 GMT) on Monday, authorities have said. Hundreds of flights have been affected, and individuals are advised to expect delays and avoid the area.
Due to the emergency incident, all streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice.
