In New York on Sunday night, an Air Canada plane collided with a fire truck while landing at LaGuardia Airport Runway 4 at around 11:45 p.m. , killing the pilot and co-pilot and injuring dozens of passengers. The accident damaged the front of the aircraft and led to the closure of LaGuardia Airport and the rerouting of air traffic on Monday morning.
Release Date
03/23/2026
New York
The Air Canada plane, operated by Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and 4 crew members. Some were taken to local hospitals with serious injuries, of whom 32 have already been released. A flight attendant was found still attached to an auxiliary seat after it was ejected from the plane. She was injured but is expected to survive, according to a statement Monday morning by Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Two firefighters were injured inside the fire truck, Garcia reported. Their injuries are not life-threatening.
The Port Authority said in a statement: The airport will remain closed at least until 2 p.m. Monday to allow for a thorough investigation.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited LaGuardia Airport as part of his public schedule Monday, where he was expected to attend a briefing around 12:30 p.m. with García.
The fire truck was crossing the runway to respond to a separate incident aboard a United Airlines flight that reported an odor problem. Moments before the incident, audio from an air traffic controller revealed that he had cleared a vehicle to cross part of the runway. Moments later, a controller can be heard saying, “Stop, stop, stop, truck 1, stop, truck 1, stop.”
Later in the audio transmission, a distressed controller can be heard saying, “We were responding to an emergency earlier. I made a mistake.” According to preliminary data, the Air Canada plane was traveling between 93 and 105 mph when it collided with the fire truck, ABC News reported, citing FlightRadar24.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated Monday morning that he was heading to LaGuardia Airport and added that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are working together on the case. “We will share updates as soon as possible,” Duffy wrote.
President Trump called the fatal accident “terrible.” “It’s a dangerous job. It’s terrible. They made a mistake,” he said in response to a reporter’s question Monday morning in Florida.
Air Canada passenger Rebecca Liquori recounted her experience aboard the plane during the collision with the fire truck. “When we landed, we all felt it. It was like the plane shook, and you could hear the pilot trying to brake, like he was trying to avoid the collision.” “A few seconds later, there was a deafening crash and everyone jumped; some hit their heads and others were bleeding.
The fatal accident adds to the disruptions at US airports linked to the partial government shutdown. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees have been working without pay since the shutdown began on February 14, leaving thousands of people absent from work. The staffing shortages have affected US airports, resulting in long lines and extended wait times.”
