By Obinna Uballa
Two pilots lost their lives and several others were injured after an Air Canada Express aircraft collided with a fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York, United States late Sunday night.
The CRJ-900 jet, operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal as flight AC8646 when it struck the emergency vehicle at about 11:45 p.m., according to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Duffy confirmed that both pilots onboard died in the crash, while more than a dozen passengers sustained injuries. The aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members at the time of the incident. He added that at least two firefighters attached to the Port Authority also suffered serious injuries.
“Our prayers are with the families affected by this tragic incident,” Duffy said, noting that federal agencies have been mobilised to support ongoing investigations.
The Federal Aviation Administration has deployed a response team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in determining the cause of the collision. Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft was moving along the runway when it hit the fire truck, which was responding to a separate emergency.
Images from the scene showed extensive damage to the front section of the plane, with emergency responders quickly moving in to manage the situation.
Authorities shut down flight operations at LaGuardia following the crash, with officials warning that the closure would remain in place until at least 2 p.m. to allow for a full investigation.
Passengers and motorists were advised to expect significant disruptions, including flight cancellations and traffic delays around the airport.
LaGuardia Airport, located in Queens, is one of New York’s busiest aviation hubs, handling over 33 million passengers in 2024 after undergoing a major redevelopment project.
The crash is the latest in a series of aviation incidents in the United States, raising renewed concerns about safety, particularly during ground operations at major airports.
