In brief
Air Canada flight AC8646's collision with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport led to the deaths of two pilots and injuries to at least 41 passengers. Witnesses described the incident as chaotic, recalling a loud boom upon landing. Injured passengers received immediate medical attention, and the incident has prompted a thorough investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, amidst ongoing concerns regarding safety at air travel hubs. This accident marks a significant event in aviation history, as it has been over 34 years since a fatal incident occurred at LaGuardia.
An Air Canada flight AC8646's collision with a fire truck on a LaGuardia Airport runway late on Sunday killed the plane's two pilots, injured dozens of others, and left passengers and witnesses stunned and stranded.
We were literally like 100 metres away, said 23-year-old Leo Medina, who was onboard another plane on the tarmac when the crash happened. It was like the plane got cut in half.
In addition to killing the two pilots, the incident, which happened at 23:40 local time on Sunday (03:40 GMT on Monday), injured 41 people, some with serious injuries, and shut LaGuardia until Monday afternoon.
After visiting the crash site, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of wearing seat belts during any mode of transportation.
Québec native Antoine Forest, 30, was identified as one of the pilots who died in the collision. The other pilot's identity has not yet been released.
Passenger Rebecca Liquori, who was on the plane arriving from Montreal at the time of the crash, described hearing a loud boom as they landed.
In audio recordings from the LaGuardia air traffic control tower, a staff member can be heard urgently advising the fire truck to stop just moments before the collision. The crash led to significant chaos at the airport, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed condolences over the crash, while New York City officials described the incident as a tragic collision, confirming that an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is underway.
This crash is particularly shocking given that it marks the first aviation fatality at LaGuardia in over 34 years, during a time when air travel in the US is already grappling with operational challenges due to staffing shortages impacting airport security.