A mass casualty event has been declared after a regional jet operated on behalf of Air Canada Express by regional airline Jazz Aviation collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) in New York late on Sunday night.
The incident occurred a short time after Air Canada flight AC-8646 from Montreal (YUL) had landed at LaGuardia. Preliminary information suggests that the impact with the fire truck happened as the Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jet was turning off the runway and onto a taxiway.
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Early reports suggest that at least two people may have been killed, along with one serious injury, two moderately wounded, and 67 passengers and crew left with minor injuries from the collision, according to the Citizen app.
Authorities are yet to confirm these reports.
Horrific images of the accident have been shared on social media showing the front of the regional jet obliterated, with the cockpit completely missing, and the aircraft’s nose in the air.
Details of the accident remain scant, but this is what we do know at this time:
- The aircraft had just landed on Runway 4 at LaGuardia after an otherwise uneventful flight from Montreal.
- It was turning onto Taxiway E when the collision occurred.
- It appears that an airport fire truck had been cleared to cross the runway a short time before the accident occurred.
- The aircraft is a 20-year-old Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jet operated by Jazz Aviation.
- The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members.
- Reports from trusted aviation sources claim there was only one air traffic controller on duty at the time of the accident.
- The controller was working both the tower and ground functions at the same time.
- Hours before the accident, LaGuardia had reported flight disruptions due to bad weather in the area.
LaGuardia has been closed to all air traffic as first responders continue to deal with the unfolding situation.
Crashed plane in New York pic.twitter.com/84hbV6wpiw
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Air Canada and Jazz Aviation have yet to provide any official statement. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been contacted for comment.
A recording from the air traffic control at LaGuardia appears to show the moment that the accident occurred, with the controller repeatedly ordering the airport fire truck (known as Truck One) to stop.
“Jazz 646, I see you collided with a vehicle there, just hold position, I know you can’t move,” the controller says. “Vehicles (emergency responders) are responding to you now.”
In a statement, the Port Authority for New York and New Jersey said: “At approximately 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada was involved in an incident on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in which the aircraft struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident.”
“Emergency response protocols were immediately activated. The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency’s Chairman and Executive Director. The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation. This is a developing situation based on preliminary information.”
The statement added: “The Port Authority Police Department is working closely with our airline partners as well as federal authorities and will provide additional updates as more details become available.”
Close-up photo shows the cockpit badly damaged after plane collided with fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. pic.twitter.com/L12mVACGEF
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This is a developing story.
