The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and U.S. media said.
Dozens have been injured in the crash and the fire truck was manned by police officers. The incident occurred at 11.38pm local time 22 March.
Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said in a press conference that everyone had been accounted for, that "41 people were transported" and that "32 people were released" and confirmed that the two pilots had been killed.
Those people who went to the lounge were reunited with their families. She said that some of the injuries were serious and were in hospital but couldn't comment on specifics.
Garcia added that the earliest the airport would reopen would be 2pm local time.
She also said that the vehicle that collided with the plane was responding to a pilot who required assistance and confirmed that vehicles have to get clearance to move on th runway or taxiways.
The plane involved in the accident was operated by Air Canada's regional partner Jazz, which is owned by Chorus Aviation.
Jazz said the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members based on a preliminary passenger list that remained subject to confirmation.
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the plane arriving from Montreal, Canada hit the ground vehicle at about 39 kilometres per hour (24 miles per hour).
Photos on Reuters after the accident showed visible damage to the nose of the plane, which was tilted upward.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the airport was expected to remain shut until 2 p.m. ET on Monday (1800 GMT).
Flightradar24 said 18 flights had been diverted to other airports, mostly in the New York area, or returned to their point of origin.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the firefighting vehicle was responding to a separate incident when it was struck by the aircraft at the airport's Runway 4.
New York City's emergency notification system said people could expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel near the airport.
LaGuardia served more than 30 million annual passengers in 2025, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a wide range of U.S. airlines operate at the airport.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions wi...
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s...
Kazakhstan is considering new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms, including requirements to label AI-generated content...
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) carried 419,000 connecting passengers through Baku in the first nine months of 2026, up 29 per cent year on year, highlighting the capital's growing role as an international aviation hub.
Azerbaijan is seeking to attract more European visitors by improving air connectivity and raising its profile as an international tourism destination, with a new direct route between Brussels and Baku expected to support those efforts.
Saudi Arabia is opening up to more international travellers as tourism expands beyond religious travel. In Riyadh, historic landmarks stand alongside new developments and a rapidly changing skyline, while AlUla and Diriyah offer a glimpse into the kingdom’s heritage.
Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are considering restoring passenger ferry services across the Caspian Sea, six years after the route was suspended.
Flights across some of Britain's busiest airports were thrown into chaos on Tuesday after a technical failure at air traffic control provider NATS disrupted the system used to process flight data.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment