A serious air accident was recorded on Sunday night (22) at LaGuardia Airport in New York, involving an aircraft operated by Air Canada. The collision with a fire truck on the runway resulted in the death of the pilot and co-pilot, in addition to leaving at least two people injured. The information was disclosed by CNN, based on police sources.
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the accident occurred around 11:40 p.m. (local time) when a flight operated by Jazz Aviation—acting on behalf of Air Canada—collided with a fire and rescue vehicle that was already responding to another incident at the airport. “Emergency response protocols were activated immediately,” the spokesperson said. “The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a complete investigation.”
The aircraft involved in the accident, a CRJ-900 model, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, according to preliminary information released by the airline. The aircraft was operating flight 8646, departing from Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, bound for New York.
Data from the FlightRadar24 air traffic monitoring website indicate that the plane took off shortly after 10:30 p.m. and landed about an hour later. Just before the collision, the aircraft was still traveling at approximately 210 km/h. According to information obtained by CNN, two people who were in the fire truck were injured. The vehicle had been released from a previous incident and was heading to respond to another call involving a flight that reported an unknown odor in the cabin.
Audio recordings of communications between the control tower and ground teams reveal the moments leading up to the accident. At one point, a controller authorizes a truck to cross the runway, but seconds later tries to interrupt the action upon realizing the imminent risk. “JAZZ 646, I see that you have collided with the vehicle. Maintain your position. I know you can’t move. Vehicles are on the way,” says an air traffic controller in audio captured by the LiveATC.net website.
Images and videos shared on social media show the front of the aircraft with significant damage, while emergency teams surrounded the area. A CNN reporter who was at the airport in the early morning hours reported intense activity from rescue vehicles on the runway. After the impact, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the immediate suspension of airport operations due to an “aeronautical emergency.” The initial forecast was that the terminal would remain closed until Monday afternoon (23).
The National Transportation Safety Board reported that it would send a team to the site to investigate the causes of the accident. The incident occurs amid operational difficulties at U.S. airports. The shortage of resources for the Department of Homeland Security has affected the operations of the Transportation Security Administration, with reports of significant absences of agents and long lines at security checkpoints.
In addition, federal authorities announced the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist in airport operations amid the crisis. Before the accident, LaGuardia Airport had already issued alerts about possible delays due to adverse weather conditions, with reports of light rain and fog in the area. The exact circumstances of the collision will still be investigated by the responsible authorities.
Source: brasil247.com