An Air Canada flight collided with a fire truck on the runway as the airliner landed.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford went to New York City in response to the collision of an Air Canada Express flight with a Port Authority fire-rescue vehicle on the runway as the aircraft landed on Sunday night at LaGuardia airport.
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy and Secretary Duffy held a press conference at LaGuardia with Administrator Bedford, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Port Authority Executive Director Katherine Garcia. Port Authority, NTSB, and FAA officials are participating in the investigation of the crash, and Transport Canada is sending a team as well.
Air traffic control reportedly cleared the fire truck to cross the runway ahead of the collision, which claimed the lives of both pilots and injured 43 passengers. The two fire truck crew members were also injured, but expected to recover.
Flights departing from or coming to LaGuardia were canceled through late Monday. The runway on which the collision occurred will be closed for some time as debris is gathered for examination.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford as they seek to improve the safety of commercial air travel.
- For officials with the Port Authority, FAA, and NTSB as they investigate the cause of the crash.
- For healing for those wounded in the collision and for comfort for the families of those who died.
Sources: NBC News, Reuters, RedState
