An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle after landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport in New York on Sunday evening, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. The New York Police Department has confirmed the collision, which led to closing the airport.
US broadcasters CNN and NBC reported that the pilot and co-pilot of the plane were killed in the accident involving a fire truck operated by police officers. Dozens more were injured, including a sergeant and an officer that had suffered broken limbs, but were in stable condition at a local hospital, according to the outlet.
Authorities have yet to confirm the casualties.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said that the airport is expected to remain shut until 2pm Eastern Time on Monday (18:00 GMT). Meanwhile, LaGuardia’s website has been showing arriving planes diverting to other airports, while others supposedly returned to their place of departure.
En route from Montreal
The CRJ-900 plane, which was on its way from Montreal, Canada, hit the vehicle at a speed of approximately 39 kilometers (24 miles) per hours, according to Flightradar24.
LaGuardia Airport served over 30 million passengers in 2025, according to New York authorities (March 23, 2026)Image: Ryan Murphy/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Operated by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz, its planes of that kind can seat up to 76 passengers, according to the airline’s website. There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane, a statement from the airline said.
Social media footage from the scene appears to show severe damage to the front nose of the aircraft, which looks to be tilting upwards.
Authorities say that the airport is expected to remain shut until 2pm Eastern Time (18:00 GMT) on Monday (March 23, 2026)Image: Bing Guan/REUTERS
New York City’s emergency notification system said cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel can be expected in the area around the airport.
LaGuardia is a major airport and served over 30 million passengers last year, according to New York authorities.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher