Credited from: NPR
Late Sunday night, an Air Canada regional jet collided with a fire truck on the runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the deaths of the pilot and co-pilot and injuring multiple individuals. The collision occurred at approximately 11:40 PM local time, shortly after the aircraft had arrived from Montreal, according to Le Monde and AA.
The incident involved Air Canada Flight 8646, operated by Jazz Aviation. Eyewitness reports indicated that the plane, which had 76 people on board, struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle responding to a separate incident on another flight, as detailed by NPR and BBC.
Emergency services quickly activated their protocols, and the airport was closed to manage the situation and initiate an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The fire truck had been dispatched due to an "odor" reported by another aircraft when the collision occurred, according to statements from Los Angeles Times and NPR.
Reports indicate that the impact severely damaged the aircraft's nose, tilting it upward, and led to the hospitalization of 41 individuals. Among them, at least nine suffered serious injuries, while others were released after treatment. Port Authority employees in the fire truck were also injured but are in stable condition, as reported by AA and Los Angeles Times.
As of Monday, LaGuardia Airport remained closed, with authorities advising travelers of extensive flight cancellations and delays. Until further investigation is complete, all access to the airport is restricted, affecting numerous flights and transportation services, confirmed by NPR and BBC.