A tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport in New York City has left two pilots dead after an Air Canada aircraft collided with a fire service truck during landing late Sunday night.
Authorities confirmed that the aircraft’s front section was severely crushed in the collision, killing both the pilot and co-pilot instantly. The victims were Canadian nationals.
The plane, operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada, had arrived from Montreal carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. Around 40 people were taken to nearby hospitals following the incident, with several sustaining serious injuries. Most passengers were later released after receiving treatment.
Officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey stated that two personnel on the fire truck were also injured, though their conditions were not life-threatening.
Preliminary reports indicate that the fire truck was responding to an emergency call involving a United Airlines flight reporting a possible odor issue, and was crossing the runway when the collision occurred.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities temporarily shut down the airport until Monday afternoon to facilitate the probe.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
