A serious aviation accident occurred 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 copilot, as well as at least two people injured. The information was reported by CNN, based on police sources.
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the accident happened around 11:40 p.m. local time, when a flight operated by Jazz Aviation — on behalf of Air Canada — collided with a rescue and firefighting vehicle that was already responding to another incident at the airport. “Emergency response protocols were immediately activated,” the spokesperson said. “The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a full 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 plane was operating flight 8646, departing from Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport bound for New York.
Data from the FlightRadar24 flight tracking website indicates 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 air traffic control and ground teams reveal the moments leading up to the accident. In one segment, a controller authorizes a truck to cross the runway, but seconds later tries to halt the action upon realizing the imminent risk. “JAZZ 646, I see that you collided with the vehicle. Maintain position. I know you can’t move. Vehicles are on the way,” an air traffic controller says in audio captured by the LiveATC.net website.
Images and videos shared on social media show significant damage to the front of the aircraft, while emergency teams surrounded the area. A CNN reporter who was at the airport during 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 operations at the airport due to an “aircraft emergency.” The initial forecast was for the terminal to remain closed until Monday afternoon (23).
The National Transportation Safety Board said it would send a team to the site to investigate the causes of the accident. The incident comes amid operational challenges at U.S. airports. A shortage of resources for the Department of Homeland Security has impacted Transportation Security Administration operations, 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 with airport operations amid the crisis. Prior to the accident, LaGuardia Airport had already issued alerts about possible delays due to adverse weather conditions, with light rain and fog reported in the area. The exact circumstances of the collision will still be investigated by the responsible authorities.
Source: brasil247.com