LaGuardia plane crash live updates: Two dead after Air Canada flight hits fire truck
An Air Canada passenger plane has collided with a fire truck after landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, with the pilot and co-pilot killed in the disaster.
The aircraft, operating as Jazz Aviation flight on behalf of the Canadian company, was arriving from Montreal with 76 passengers on board when it crashed into the Port Authority truck on Runway 4 at a speed of approximately 24 miles per hour, according to FlightRadar24.
The truck was responding to a separate incident at the Queens airport when the accident occurred.
Air traffic control audio of the incident reveals panicked dispatchers desperately attempting to avert the situation without success, urging the pilots to “Stop, stop, stop!” and later commenting: “That wasn’t good to watch.” One controller admits: “I messed up.”
Forty one passengers were ultimately taken to hospital, nine of whom are still receiving treatment, while two other people, a sergeant and an officer, are in stable condition following treatment for broken limbs, NBC News reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration has said the airport will be closed until at least 2 p.m ET Monday.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it has dispatched a team to investigate the collision.
Recap: Air Canada passenger plane in deadly collision with fire struck at LaGuardia Airport
If you’re just joining us, here’s everything you need to know:
- An Air Canada passenger plane from Montreal with 76 people on board collided with a fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York Sunday night
- The pilot and co-pilot of the plane were killed in the accident
- Forty-one of the passengers were taken to hospital, with nine people still receiving treatment
- Two other people were treated in hospital for broken limbs
- The busy airport is due to stay closed until at least 2 p.m. ET Monday as more than 500 flights have been cancelled
- The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to investigate
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 10:45
Live: Emergency responders on scene at LaGuardia after Air Canada plane collision
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 12:10
Hundreds of flights cancelled with tens of thousands of travellers disrupted
Immediately after the collision, multiple aircraft returned to their starting points, including Air Canada from Toronto, Spirit from Chicago and Fort Lauderdale, Frontier from Atlanta and American Eagle from Washington Reagan.
Thirteen other planes diverted to nearby airports: eight to New York JFK, two to Newark, and one each to Baltimore Washington, Washington Dulles and Detroit.
Two aircraft waiting to take off – Frontier to Miami and Republic to Houston – returned to their gates and offloaded passengers.
Operations normally resume at 6 a.m. ET at LaGuardia, with a bank of departures scheduled across the U.S. and eastern Canada.
Data from the airport and FlightRadar24 analysed by The Independent indicates that around 500 flights have so far been grounded – with tens of thousands of passengers disrupted.
Dozens more flights are shown as severely delayed, with some American Airlines departures rescheduled for as late as 8 p.m ET.
Both JFK and Newark airports run close to capacity. There will be little opportunity for airlines to switch to either airport – or for passengers to find seats on flights to or from those hubs.
Air passengers’ rights rules within the U.S. do not require airlines to provide alternative transport or accommodation in the event of disruption if the cause is beyond their control.
Passengers to and from Canada have some additional rights. The Canadian Transportation Agency says: “In situations outside its control, the airline operating the flight must ensure that the passengers complete their journey.”
Transatlantic flights do not use LaGuardia because it has no international passenger processing facilities. Travellers arriving from Canada have been pre-cleared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Simon Calder23 March 2026 11:55
ICE agents descend on US airports after Trump threatened to deploy them
Last night’s tragedy comes as President Donald Trump’s administration deploys ICE agents to the nation’s major airports to address staff shortages caused by a partial government shutdown that has run on for five weeks.
Trump, in characteristic fashion, said the agents would provide “security like no one has ever seen before” and also carry out “the immediate arrest of all illegal immigrants who have come into our country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia.”
ICE agents have duly been seen at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, and Philadelphia International Airport.
Maira Butt has the latest.
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 11:40
Watch: Two confirmed dead in runway collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 11:25
‘That wasn’t good to watch:’ Air traffic control audio offers insights into deadly collision
Here’s a complete transcript of the conversation heard between air traffic controllers during the incident:
“Truck 1 and company, LaGuardia Tower, requesting to cross 4 at Delta.”
“Truck 1 and company, cross 4 at Delta.”
“Truck 1 and company crossing 4 at Delta.”
“Frontier 4195, just stop there please. Stop, stop, stop, stop. Stop, Truck 1, stop, stop. Stop, Truck 1, stop.”
“Delta 2603, go around runway, heading 2,000.
“Jazz 646, Jazz 646 I see you collide with a vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can’t move. The vehicles are responding to you now.”
“Is the runway closed?”
“Delta 2603, go around runway heading 2000.”
“Runway heading 2000, go around, Delta 2603.
“Truck 32, Runway 4 is closed, correct?
“Just go on to Runway 4 now. Proceed on Runway 4, you have access…”
“Frontier 4195, I got the word we’re going to be closed for a little while. If you want to return to the ramp let me know.”
“Yeah we got stuff in progress for that man. That wasn’t… That wasn’t good to watch.”
“Yeah I know I was here. I tried to reach out to them. I stopped and we were dealing with an emergency earlier and I messed up…”
“No man, you did the best you could.”
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 11:10
Passengers offer first eyewitness accounts of LaGuardia collision
“Everybody was flying everywhere,” traveller Jack Cabot tells Fox and Friends this morning.
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 11:00
More than 500 flights cancelled at LaGuardia today
The temporary closure of one of New York’s busiest airports will add to travel disruption caused by the weeks-long partial government shutdown.
Absences among transportation security workers have soared, leading to lengthy lines for passengers at major U.S. airports.
New York City’s emergency notification system has said people can expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel near the airport.
About 537 flights had been canceled at the airport so far Monday, according to tracking website FlightAware.
LaGuardia served more than 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.
Joe Sommerlad23 March 2026 10:30