An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle after landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday evening, flight tracking site Flightradar24 reported. The New York Police Department confirmed the collision, which led to the airport’s closure.
A New York Port Authority official said both pilots were killed in the accident involving a fire truck operated by police officers. Dozens more were injured; 41 passengers and crew were taken to a local hospital. Most have since been released, while nine people remain hospitalized, the official said.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said the airport was expected to remain closed until 2 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday. LaGuardia’s website showed arriving flights diverting to other airports and some returning to their departure points. The US National Transportation Safety Board said it had deployed technical experts to investigate the cause.
The CRJ-900, en route from Montreal, Canada, struck the vehicle at about 39 kilometers (24 miles) per hour, according to Flightradar24. Operated by Air Canada’s regional partner Jazz, that type of aircraft can seat up to 76 passengers. There were 72 passengers and four crew on board, the airline said.
Social media footage from the scene appears to show severe damage to the aircraft’s nose, with the front of the jet tilted upward. New York City’s emergency notification system warned of cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel around the airport.
LaGuardia is a major airport and served over 30 million passengers in 2025, New York authorities say.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher