Two pilots were killed after an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, triggering a major shutdown at one of the United States’ busiest airports.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation for Air Canada, was arriving from Montreal when it struck the emergency vehicle on the runway. Reports said dozens of passengers and emergency personnel were injured, with several taken to hospital for treatment.
Authorities said the fire truck had been responding to a separate incident involving another aircraft when the collision occurred. Air traffic control audio cited by multiple outlets suggested there may have been confusion over runway clearance moments before impact.
The crash forced LaGuardia to suspend operations, with hundreds of flights cancelled and incoming services diverted as investigators moved in to examine the scene. The airport was expected to remain closed until at least Monday afternoon.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and other aviation authorities have launched an investigation into the fatal ground collision.
