A pilot and co-pilot were tragically killed in a collision between an Air Canada Express plane and a fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) on Sunday.
Following the horrific crash, several travelers took to the internet to know the status of LaGuardia Airport, whether it was operational or not. The runway incident compelled authorities to halt flight operations late in the evening.
In a message posted on X, LGA officials informed that the incident occurred at approximately 11:40 PM on Sunday, March 22, when Jazz Aviation flight AC8646, which was operating from YUL on behalf of Air Canada, “was involved in an incident on Runway 4.”
The post further states that the aircraft collided with a “Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident.”
LaGuardia Airport remains closed until at least 2:00 PM ET on Monday “to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation.” The incident prompted a ground stop directive. In the wake of the order, no aircraft were permitted to take off or land until safety inspections were finalized.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft, which was a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, as stated by the airline. The flight had originated from Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the primary airport serving Montreal.
Images and videos from the scene depicted significant damage to the front of the aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a severely damaged cockpit. Nearby, an emergency vehicle was overturned on its side.
