Two pilots were killed and dozens injured when an Air Canada plane crashed with a fire vehicle on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, authorities said Monday.
The incident late Sunday halted flights at LaGuardia Airport, a key transportation hub, with the Bombardier jet tipped back onto its tail, its cockpit broken, and adjacent to the wrecked emergency vehicle.
By 2:00 p.m. (1800 GMT) on Monday, the airport announced that flights have resumed, although travelers should still expect delays and cancellations.
US aviation inspectors, working with Canadian counterparts, launched an investigation into what seemed to be LaGuardia’s first deadly accident since 1992.
An audio recording from the air traffic tower revealed that a controller authorized the vehicle, which was responding to a separate incident, to cross the runway before immediately instructing it to stop.
“Stop, truck one, stop!” the controller said moments before the collision. An alarm was then heard.
Surveillance footage provided by US media recorded the moment the plane collided with the rescue vehicle as it crossed its route, propelling both down the runway.
The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash, officials reported.
“These were two young men at the start of their career, so it’s an absolute tragedy that we’re sitting here with their loss,” Bryan Bedford, head of the Federal Aviation Administration, told reporters.
“Stop, truck one, stop!” the controller said moments before the collision. An alarm was then heard.
Surveillance footage provided by US media recorded the moment the plane collided with the rescue vehicle as it crossed its route, propelling both down the runway.
More than 40 other people were sent to the hospital, but many were released by Monday afternoon, according to Kathryn Garcia, director of the city’s Port Authority.
She also mentioned that the two personnel in the damaged fire vehicle were likely to recover.
Jazz Aviation, an Air Canada regional partner, operated the CRJ-900, which arrived at LaGuardia from Montreal as Flight 8646.
According to Jazz Aviation, the flight had 76 passengers, including four crew members.
Jack Cabot, a passenger on the flight, recalled a chaotic scene as the plane “immediately hit something” after a hard landing.
“Everyone was hunkered down, everyone was screaming, and we didn’t have any directions because the pilots’ cabin was destroyed,” he told US media.
“So someone said, ‘Let’s get the emergency exit, let’s get the door, and all jump out,’ and that’s exactly what we did.”
The disaster was described as “terrible” by US President Donald Trump, who added, “They made a mistake.” It’s a dangerous business.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed sadness over the fatal occurrence.
“Canadian officials are working closely with their US counterparts on the ground as the investigation continues. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted,” he wrote on X.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy told the press that LaGuardia is a “very well-staffed “airport”—addressing what he called a “rumor” there was only one controller in the tower late Sunday.
Air traffic controller shortages are a concern throughout the United States, and the government has increased employment efforts in response.
As hundreds of flights were grounded as a result of the tragedy, AFP journalists observed passengers at LaGuardia Airport sleeping down in a terminal on Monday.
According to Port Authority estimates, LaGuardia is the third-busiest airport in New York, handling 33.5 million passengers in 2024. It is located in the borough of Queens.
It finished a $8 billion renovation in 2024, replacing its aging infrastructure with new ports and streets.
In recent years, the United States has had deadly aviation catastrophes, including a collision between a passenger jet and an army helicopter near Washington in January 2025, which killed 67 people.
