Jet Collides with Fire Truck Leaving 2 Dead, Dozens Injured in New York

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New York: A deadly collision between an Air Canada Express jet and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night has left two pilots dead, dozens injured, and forced a major shutdown of one of the United States’ busiest airports.

The incident occurred at around 11:40 p.m. when Air Canada Express Flight 8646, arriving from Montreal, collided with a Port Authority fire truck while landing. The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members.

Authorities said 41 passengers and crew were taken to hospital, with most later discharged, while several others remain seriously injured. Two firefighters in the truck were also hospitalised and reported to be in stable condition.

The fire truck had been responding to another aircraft that reported an unusual odor in the cabin when the collision occurred.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene as the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop, halting all flights at the airport until at least Monday afternoon.

The crash caused extensive disruption, with hundreds of flights cancelled and delays expected to ripple across the country. Officials also warned of road closures and traffic congestion around the airport.

Images from the scene showed the aircraft with severe front-end damage and the fire truck overturned on the runway.

Delta Air Lines, which operates a large share of flights at LaGuardia, announced multiple cancellations and warned of further disruptions as recovery efforts continue.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.