A serious runway collision involving an Air Canada flight and a fire-rescue vehicle has left at least 41 people injured at LaGuardia Airport, raising fresh concerns over aviation safety and air traffic control operations.
The incident occurred late Sunday night around 11:40 p.m. and involved Air Canada Flight 8646, a Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft operated by Jazz Aviation. The plane had just landed from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members onboard when it collided with a Port Authority fire-rescue truck responding to a separate emergency.
According to officials, the aircraft was traveling at approximately 30 mph during landing when the crash occurred. Audio recordings from air traffic control suggest that the rescue vehicle had initially been cleared to cross the runway but was later instructed to stop. In the recording, a controller can be heard admitting, “I messed up,” indicating a possible human error.
Emergency services quickly responded, and 41 individuals were taken to nearby hospitals with injuries, some described as serious. Authorities confirmed that 32 people have already been released after treatment. Among the injured were two officers who suffered broken limbs but remain in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia stated that the rescue vehicle had been responding to an unrelated odor report aboard a United Airlines flight, where crew members reportedly felt unwell.
Following the collision, LaGuardia Airport was shut down for several hours, with operations partially resuming around 3 p.m. Monday after one runway reopened. The disruption caused significant delays and travel chaos across the region.
The incident has prompted investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and the Port Authority. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that authorities are examining whether air traffic control staffing levels played a role.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed concern, calling the situation “heartbreaking” and extending support to victims and their families.
Meanwhile, transportation disruptions worsened across the region after a temporary ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport due to an FAA tower evacuation caused by smoke.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the LaGuardia area as investigations continue. Families of passengers were directed to Air Canada for assistance, and officials confirmed that all passengers, including an unaccompanied minor, have been accounted for and reunited with relatives.
The crash is the latest in a series of troubling incidents affecting the aviation industry, sparking renewed scrutiny over operational safety and coordination on busy airport runways.