2 pilots killed as plane hits fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport
text_fields
New York: The pilot and co-pilot were killed after an Air Canada Express flight from Montreal collided with a ground vehicle while landing at LaGuardia Airport, according to media reports citing local authorities.
The Air Canada Express CRJ-900 aircraft struck a fire truck on Runway 4, triggering a major emergency response and forcing a complete ground stop at the airport. Operations were immediately suspended following the incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the airport was closed and a ground stop order had been implemented after the collision between the aircraft and the emergency vehicle.
Preliminary information, including circulating air traffic control audio and visual reconstructions, suggests that both the flight crew and the ground vehicle had been repeatedly instructed to halt moments before the impact.
Unconfirmed reports, citing the New York Fire Department, indicated that at least five firefighters were seriously injured in the incident. More than 100 passengers on board the aircraft are also reported to have sustained injuries.
Emergency teams, including Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) units, remain deployed at the site.
Following the crash, the FAA imposed a ground stop on all incoming and outgoing flights to facilitate rescue operations and initiate an investigation into the cause of the collision.
In an advisory, the FAA said the airport closure was due to an emergency and could be prolonged, with a separate notice suggesting operations might remain suspended until 18:00 GMT. However, officials have not yet released detailed information on the extent of damage or confirmed the full number of injuries.
With IANS inputs