LaGuardia Airport Disaster: Two Pilots Killed in Fiery Crash
Image Source: Internet
The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after the aircraft collided with a firefighting vehicle while landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport late on Sunday.
The incident forced the closure of the busy airport and left dozens of others injured, according to US media reports and authorities.
The Air Canada Express plane struck a Port Authority ground vehicle shortly after landing at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night.
The pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft were killed in the crash, while dozens of others were injured in the incident.
The fire truck involved in the collision was reportedly manned by police officers; a sergeant and an officer sustained broken limbs and were in stable condition at a hospital.
The CRJ-900 aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, based on a preliminary passenger list subject to confirmation.
Flight tracking data showed the aircraft landed at around 11:37 p.m. local time and struck the vehicle at about 24 miles per hour during runway operations.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a ground stop and closed LaGuardia Airport to incoming flights to facilitate emergency response and investigation.
At least 18 flights were diverted to other airports or returned to their origin.
Photos taken after the incident showed significant damage to the nose of the aircraft, which appeared tilted upward.
A formal investigation into the incident is underway.
