LaGuardia Shut Down Until 2PM After Deadly Runway Collison
A tragic accident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night has left two pilots dead and dozens hospitalized. The deadly accident involved an Air Canada regional jet that collided with a fire truck on the runway during landing.
Air Canada Flight 8646, a CRJ-900 operated by regional partner Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montréal-Trudeau International Airport with 72 passengers and four crew members on board when it struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle at approximately 11:30 p.m.
Both the pilot and first officer were killed in the collision. At least 41 passengers and crew were transported to area hospitals, with 32 subsequently released, though Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed that some passengers sustained serious injuries, and nine remained hospitalized as of early Monday morning.
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched an investigative team to the scene, and LaGuardia Airport has been closed until at least 2 p.m. ET Monday while the investigation is underway.
