Dozens injured, 2 pilots dead in ground collision at LaGuardia; airport closed

A regional Air Canada jet collided into a Port Authority airport vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, an on-the-ground crash that demolished the front of the airplane, killed two pilots, injured dozens of passengers and prompted the airport to shut down, law enforcement and aviation officials said.

At least 41 people were transferred to local hospitals Sunday night after the plane, which was operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a rescue-and-firefighting vehicle that had been “responding to a separate incident” at 11:47 p.m., a Port Authority spokesperson said.

The pilot and the co-pilot of the plane were killed in the crash, officials said. Two of the injured were Port Authority officers and the other 39 were passengers, officials said.

LaGuardia is closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday, the Port Authority said.

The collision happened shortly after the plane, Air Canada Flight 8646, which was carrying four crew members and 72 passengers, touched down from Montreal, according to Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia.

The ground vehicle — a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting — had requested permission and had been cleared by the air traffic controller to cross Runway 4 at taxiway Delta, according to audio recordings. Shortly after that permission was granted, an air traffic controller was heard telling the vehicle to stop several times right before the collision, according to the recordings.

Preliminary data shows the Air Canada plane was traveling between 93 and 105 mph when it impacted the fire truck, FlightRadar24 told ABC News.

All passengers have been accounted for, Garcia said, and an unaccompanied minor on the plane was reunited with their family.

Thirty-two of those who had been transferred were later released, Garcia said, adding that several others had serious injuries. Two Port Authority police officers who were injured — a sergeant and an officer — were in stable condition at the hospital, she said.

Major airlines have waived rebooking fees and issued travel alerts for the flights canceled at LaGuardia.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators have responded to the scene.

Teams from Air Canada and Jazz Aviation are also headed to LaGuardia. Canadian authorities will be involved as a party to the investigation as the plane was operated by a Canadian carrier, but the NTSB will be leading the investigation since the collision occurred in the U.S.

The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force also responded to the scene Sunday night. The agents left once aviation officials made the final determination that the crash was not a criminal or terrorist act.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Monday that he was heading to LaGuardia.

“Please keep the victims, families and response teams in your prayers,” he said on social media.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the collision “deeply saddening.”

“Canadian officials are working closely with their U.S. counterparts on the ground as the investigation continues. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those impacted,” he wrote on social media.