An Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday night, killing the pilot and co-pilot and injuring at least 13 people, including firefighters.
The plane, arriving from Montreal, hit the fire vehicle on the runway, causing visible damage to its front section. Passengers were evacuated as emergency teams rushed to the scene.
The fire truck had reportedly been responding to another aircraft emergency when the collision occurred.
Following the incident, the US aviation regulator issued a ground stop, halting all flights at the airport. Several incoming flights were diverted or sent back.
IMAGE: Emergency crews work around an Air Canada Express jet that collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia airport in Queens, New York, March 23, 2026, here and below. All photographs: Bing Guan/Reuters
Key Points
- Air Canada Express flight from Montreal collided with a rescue vehicle on Runway 4 at LaGuardia airport late Sunday night.
- FAA imposed a temporary ground stop, halting all arrivals and departures, significantly impacting flight operations across the network.
- Incident involved a Port Authority firefighting vehicle responding to a separate emergency on the runway at the time.
IMAGE: Rescue operations underway at the airport.
IMAGE: The damage to the Air Canada Express jet.
IMAGE: Grounded aircraft operated by United Airlines and American Airlines, after the Air Canada Express jet collided with a fire truck at La Guardia airport, here and below.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
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