The pilot and co-pilot of an Air Canada Express regional jet were killed after it collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia airport late on Sunday, in an incident that closed the airport, authorities and U.S. media said.
NBC News, which reported the deaths, said dozens of others were injured in the incident.
The news channel said that the fire truck was manned by police officers, citing sources. It had earlier said a sergeant and an officer had broken limbs and were in stable condition at a hospital.
The Air Canada Express CRJ-900 plane, operated by its partner Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members from Montreal, based on a preliminary passenger list that remained subject to confirmation. Jazz is owned by Chorus Aviation.
The aircraft struck the fire vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kph), said flight tracking website Flightradar24, which last recorded data at 11:37 p.m. ET (0337 GMT).
Photos taken by Reuters after the accident showed visible damage to the nose of the plane, which was tilted upward.
Authorities and emergency agencies did not offer any immediate comments on deaths or injuries. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the airport was expected to remain shut until 2 p.m. ET on Monday (1800 GMT).
Flightradar24 said 18 flights had been diverted to other airports, mostly in the New York area, or returned to their point of origin.
Air Canada referred Reuters to Jazz's statement and said it was aware of the incident.
LaGuardia served over 30 million annual passengers in 2025, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and a wide range of U.S. airlines operate at the airport.
Separately, the fire department said it had "responded to a reported incident involving a plane and vehicle" on runway four.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for the airport, saying there was a "high" likelihood it would be extended.
Authorities did not immediately provide details of the incident, including on casualties.
AFP has contacted the port authority and Air Canada for comment.
Flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 said an Air Canada Express plane had "collided with an airport rescue and firefighting vehicle" while landing.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada's regional partner, had departed from Montreal, the platform said.
It "was rolling down the runway when it struck" the vehicle as it crossed its path, according to FlightRadar24.
Unverified social media images showed an Air Canada aircraft with a badly damaged nose and cockpit area apparently on a runway at night, with emergency vehicles nearby.
New York's emergency management authority warned people to "expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays & emergency personnel" near the major transport hub in the borough of Queens.
"Use alternate routes," it said on X.
All departing flights from LaGuardia had been delayed or canceled as of early Monday, according to the airport's website.
AFP has also contacted the airport and the port authority police department for comment.
LaGuardia had already been experiencing flight disruptions due to poor weather, the airport said on X on Sunday.
Passengers were also waiting longer to pass security due to "staffing impacts" from a federal funding lapse, it said last week.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
