A serious air accident was recorded 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 co-pilot, as well as leaving at least two people injured. The information was released by CNN , based on police sources.
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the accident occurred at approximately 11:40 p.m. (local time) when a flight operated by Jazz Aviation—acting on behalf of Air Canada—collided with a fire and rescue vehicle that was already responding to another incident at the airport. “Emergency response protocols were immediately activated,” said the spokesperson. “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 aircraft was operating flight 8646, departing from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, bound for New York.
Data from the FlightRadar24 air traffic monitoring website indicates that the plane took off shortly after 10:30 PM and landed about an hour later. Shortly 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 communication between the control tower and ground crews reveal the moments leading up to the accident. At one point, a controller authorizes a truck to cross the runway, but seconds later tries to stop the action upon realizing the imminent risk. “JAZZ 646, I see you have collided with the vehicle. Hold your position. I know you can’t move. Vehicles are on the way,” says an air traffic controller in audio captured by the website LiveATC.net.
Images and videos released on social media show the front of the aircraft with significant damage, while emergency teams surrounded the site. A CNN reporter who was at the airport during the early morning hours reported intense activity of 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 that the terminal would remain closed until Monday afternoon (23).
The National Transportation Security Council reported that it would send a team to the site to investigate the causes of the accident. The incident occurs amidst a backdrop of operational difficulties at airports in the United States. The scarcity of resources for the Department of Homeland Security has affected the functioning of the Transportation Security Administration, with reports of significant agent absences and long lines at security checkpoints.
Furthermore, federal authorities announced the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist with airport operations in light of the crisis. Prior to the accident, LaGuardia Airport had already issued warnings about possible delays due to adverse weather conditions, with reports of light rain and fog in the region. The exact circumstances of the collision will still be investigated by the responsible authorities.
Source: brasil247.com