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| What we know about the LaGuardia Airport crash (Image: Getty Images) |
At New York's LaGuardia Airport, a passenger plane crashed into a fire truck, killing two pilots. The plane appears to be tilting backward, and photos taken at the scene show the cockpit almost breaking 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?
On Sunday, just after Air Canada flight AC8646 landed from Montreal at approximately 23:40 local time, 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.
Garcia stated that authorities "immediately responded" after the collision. To find out what took place, a probe is currently underway. 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?
There were four crew members and 72 passengers aboard the CRJ 900 aircraft. 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 a stable condition in hospital "with no life-threatening injuries".
According to Garcia, "I visited them both in the hospital, as has the chairman, and they were able to speak, and we are notifying their families." Mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani said he had "been briefed on the tragic collision".
He stated, "I am grateful to our first responders, whose quick actions saved lives." He added that the NTSB "is investigating the incident, and the City is in close contact with federal, state, and local partners".
Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, referred to the incident as "heartbreaking." "Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone who is affected," she continued.
How will travel be affected?
Over 32 million passengers used LaGuardia Airport last year, making it one of the busiest airports in the United States. It is currently closed, and the earliest it could reopen is 14:00 ET (18:00 GMT) on Monday, authorities have said.
On Monday morning, the majority of the flights listed on its website were marked as cancelled, with a few marked as delayed. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Air Canada are among the airlines impacted, affecting hundreds of flights. Earlier, LaGuardia Airport authorities released a statement stating that "emergency response protocols were immediately activated" after the crash, with the agency's chairman and executive director on the scene with Port Authority police.
"Expect delays and avoid the area if possible," the New York City Police Department advised. "Due to an emergency incident at LaGuardia Airport, all streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice."
"Expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays, and emergency personnel near LaGuardia Airport," the New York City Fire Department advised individuals. "Use alternate routes," it posted on X.
Source: BBC
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