A chilling scene unfolded at LaGuardia Airport Sunday night as an Air Canada flight collided with a firetruck on the tarmac, throwing the bustling airport into immediate chaos.
The impact occurred on Runway 4 just before 11:40 p.m., sending emergency vehicles racing towards the scene and triggering a full-scale evacuation of the aircraft. Dramatic images quickly surfaced, revealing the front of the commuter plane severely damaged and tilted upwards.
Initial reports paint a grim picture: at least two fatalities and three individuals critically injured. The scale of the incident is staggering, with over seventy people reported to have sustained injuries.
The Air Canada flight, originating from Montreal, was a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Airlines. It was taxiing towards the gate when the collision occurred, coinciding with the arrival of severe weather in the area.
Among the passengers onboard were reportedly a group of Orthodox Jews from the New York area, adding a layer of concern to an already devastating situation. The conditions of all one hundred passengers are currently being assessed by medical personnel.
Four firefighters from the Port Authority Police Department are among those critically injured, highlighting the bravery of first responders who immediately rushed to the scene. Their swift action was crucial in managing the unfolding emergency.
The airport has been completely closed in the wake of the collision, halting all flight operations and leaving travelers stranded. The investigation into the cause of the accident is now underway, seeking to understand the sequence of events that led to this tragic outcome.
