LaGuardia Airport collision between Air Canada plane, fire truck leaves 2 pilots dead | Updates

NEW YORK (WABC) — LaGuardia Airport in New York is closed following a collision between a Port Authority airport vehicle and an Air Canada regional plane that killed the pilot and co-pilot and injured more than a dozen others late Sunday night.

The Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada that was involved in the collision was traveling from Montreal to New York. A spokesperson for the FDNY said firefighters responded to the incident at 11:38 p.m. on Sunday.

Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the CRJ-900 aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side.

“One of our friends was like several rows back from us and like we walked past him on our way out because he was trying to find his glasses and his nose was totally broken and bleeding on his face,” one passenger told Eyewitness News reporter Phil Taitt. “A lot of people smacked their head against the seat in front of them.”

Preliminary data shows the Air Canada plane was traveling between 93 and 105 mph when it impacted the fire truck, FlightRadar24 told ABC News. The truck was headed to a United flight that had reported an odor on board.

Based on an air traffic control recording, the ground vehicle had requested permission and had been cleared by the air traffic controller to cross Runway 4 at taxiway Delta. Shortly after, the air traffic controller tells the vehicle to stop several times right before the collision.

“Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” the transmission says. The controller can then be heard frantically diverting an incoming aircraft from landing.

Officials say two Port Authority police officers, 41 passengers and crew members suffered injuries. Nine of those injuries were significant, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said. Thirty-two of the injured were treated and released from the hospital.

At one point, a flight attendant who was in her seat was thrown from the plane. She ended up on the runway and was rushed to the hospital but is expected to survive.

Seventy-two passengers and four crew members were on board the plane, officials said.

Air Canada has set up a phone line for friends and family of passengers on Air Canada Express flight #AC8646. They can call 1-800-961-7099 for assistance.

Air Canada and Jazz Aviation teams are heading to the scene and are cooperating with NTSB.

The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.

ALSO READ | More on why the truck and plane crossed paths

Impact on travel at LaGuardia

LaGuardia Airport is expected to remain closed until 2 p.m. on Monday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration website.

Hundreds of flights have been canceled or diverted out of the airport on Monday.

Major airlines are waiving rebooking fees and are allowing travelers to rebook themselves on alternate flights departing from either Newark or JFK Airport as long as the original flight was scheduled for Monday and the rebooked flight falls within a specific timeframe this month.

Find more information by clicking on your airline: American Airlines | Delta Air Lines | United Airlines

All streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice, according to the NYPD.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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