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THE pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after the aircraft collided with a fire truck during landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late on Sunday, in an incident that prompted the closure of the airport and triggered a major emergency response.
NBC News, which reported the deaths, said dozens of other individuals were injured in the incident. The outlet also cited sources indicating that the fire truck was manned by police officers.
Earlier reports from the same channel stated that a sergeant and an officer had sustained broken bones and were in stable condition at hospital.
The aircraft involved was a CRJ-900 regional jet operated by Jazz Aviation, a partner of Air Canada and a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation.
Reuters cited on Monday that based on a preliminary passenger manifest, the flight was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, though the figures remain subject to confirmation.
According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the aircraft struck the fire vehicle at a speed of approximately 24 miles per hour (39 kilometres per hour), with the final recorded data logged at 11:37 p.m. Eastern Time (0337 GMT).
Photographs taken after the incident showed visible damage to the aircraft’s nose, which appeared tilted upward following the collision.
Authorities and emergency services had not issued immediate official confirmation regarding fatalities or the full extent of injuries at the time of reporting.
The Federal Aviation Administration said LaGuardia Airport was expected to remain closed until 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday.
Flight tracking data indicated that at least 18 flights were diverted to other airports, primarily within the New York region, or returned to their points of origin.
Air Canada referred enquiries to Jazz Aviation’s statement and said it was aware of the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the firefighting vehicle had been responding to a separate incident when it was struck by the aircraft on Runway 4.
New York City’s emergency notification system advised that disruptions were expected in the surrounding area, including cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and the presence of emergency personnel near the airport.
LaGuardia Airport, which handled more than 30 million passengers in 2025 according to the Port Authority, serves numerous domestic carriers and is among the busiest aviation hubs in the United States. - March 23, 2026