The accident killed the aircraft’s pilot and co-pilot and 13 other people were taken to hospital with injuries.
A video released by NBC from security cameras at LaGuardia Airport, in New York, shows the moment a plane collides with a fire truck on the airport runway on Sunday night (22).
The pilot and co-pilot died in the collision, according to US media outlets such as CNN and NBC. Another 13 people — including 11 passengers and two rescuers — were taken to hospital with injuries, according to broadcaster ABC.
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada’s regional partner, struck a firefighting truck on runway 4 at around 11:40 pm on Sunday (00:40 am on Monday in Brasília), while the vehicle was heading to another incident, the New York Port Authority reported.
A preliminary list indicated 76 people on board, including four crew members, according to Jazz Aviation.
US aviation authorities have ordered the suspension of all flights at the airport, warning of a high likelihood of prolonged disruption. “The airport is currently closed to facilitate emergency response and allow for a full investigation,” the port authority said in a statement. Emergency protocols were “activated immediately”, he added.
Watch video of the collision:
Collision on the track
The National Transportation Safety Board said it sent a team to the scene to investigate the cause of the accident. Jazz Aviation said the flight involved was AC8646, operated by a CRJ-900 jet that had departed Montreal for New York.
The FlightRadar24 monitoring platform reported that the plane “was taxiing on the runway when it hit” the rescue vehicle that was crossing its path. New York’s emergency management agency warned people to expect cancellations, road closures and traffic delays near the airport, recommending alternative routes.
Fire truck after the collision
*With information from AFP
