Air Canada Express Plane, Truck Collide On New York’s LaGuardia Airport Runway, 4 Critical

New York, March 23: New York’s LaGuardia Airport was closed to incoming flights after a plane coming from Canada’s Montreal reportedly collided with a ground vehicle. Several people are feared to have been injured after an incoming Air Canada Express CRJ-900 flight and a fire engine collided on runway 4 of the airport, according to the flight-tracking website FlightRadar24.

Several videos of the collision emerged on social media showing evacuation and rescue operations underway at the airport. Unverified footage also showed damage to the nose of the plane. The clip showed the front of the commuter plane smashed and tilting in the air as passengers deplaned from the vehicle.

According to a New York Post report, four firefighters were critically injured in the incident that happened just before 11:40 pm (local time). The injured firefighters are reportedly from the Port Authority Police Department.

The report also said that around a hundred passengers were on the jet –a Bombardier CRJ-900– and their conditions are being evaluated. Citing sources, the US publication said the plane was carrying a group of Orthodox Jews from the New York area.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has, meanwhile, issued a ground stop for all planes at the airport, according to a notice from the regulator. The FAA notice showed that the reason for the halt at the airport was an emergency, and there was a high probability of an extension, without specifying any details. LaGuardia Airport’s website showed all arriving planes have either been diverted to other airports or returned to their point of origin.

In a separate notice to airmen, the FAA said that the airport could be shut until 1800 GMT. However, authorities have not yet released details on injuries or the extent of the damage. According to a ColLive report, the collision happened as the plane, operated by regional carrier Jazz Airlines, was heading to a gate as heavy weather hit the area. Further details are awaited