Pilot, Co-Pilot Declared Dead as Aircraft Conveying 70 Passengers Hits Firetruck In Popular City
- Aviation authorities said an Air Canada jet operated by Jazz Aviation collided with a firetruck at LaGuardia Airport
- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confirmed the late-night runway incident occurred around 11:40pm
- Aviation officials said the flight had departed from Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, while authorities shut the runway and launched a full investigation into the collision
CHECK OUT: How to Start Earning with Copywriting in Just 7 Days – Even if You’re a Complete Beginner
New York: An aircraft carrying more than 70 passengers was involved in a serious runway collision at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, March 22, after striking an emergency fire vehicle responding to a separate incident.
The aircraft, operated by Air Canada through its regional partner Jazz Aviation, had 72 passengers and four crew members on board at the time of the accident.
Source: Getty Images
As reported by AFP, authorities said the incident occurred at approximately 11:40pm on Runway 4.
Legit.ng gathered that the incident claimed the lives of the pilot and the co-pilot.
Front of aircraft sustains significant damage
Images and videos from the scene show extensive damage to the nose of the aircraft, which appeared crushed on impact with the firetruck.
Emergency lighting illuminated the scene as response teams surrounded the damaged jet, with several service vehicles stationed on the runway.
Officials have yet to confirm the number of casualties or whether there were any fatalities.
Authorities confirm details of incident
Providing an official account, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said:
“At approximately 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada was involved in an incident on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport in which the aircraft struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident.”
The agency added that its police department, alongside senior officials, were present at the scene as investigations commenced.
Flight originated from Montreal
Flight data indicates the aircraft departed from Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, a major hub serving the Canadian city of Montreal.
In a statement, Jazz Aviation confirmed the incident and noted that the passenger and crew manifest remains preliminary, pending verification, BBC reported.
Runway closed as investigation begins
The affected runway at LaGuardia Airport has been temporarily shut to allow for a full investigation into the cause of the collision.
Source: Getty Images
Authorities are expected to examine operational procedures, communication between ground teams, and the circumstances surrounding the firetruck’s presence on the runway.
Further updates are anticipated as officials continue their assessment of the situation.
Aircraft 9G-AD7 crashes in Ghana
Previously, Legit.ng reported that an aircraft with the code or designation 9G-AD7, alleged to be carrying two passengers, reportedly crashed, claiming the lives of both individuals on board.
A report made available by Yen confirmed the incident while also sharing additional details on where the plane was headed when it met with tragedy.
In the detailed publication, it was revealed that the aircraft 9G-AD7 was headed to a specific location in Ghana but crashed in an area identified as Oninku Park in Tema Community 1. The two people on board, a passenger and a pilot, both lost their lives in the unexpected incident.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.
Ezra Ukanwa (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Ezra Ukanwa is a Reuters-certified journalist with over 5 years of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Anchor University, Lagos. Currently, he is the Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He previously worked as a senior correspondent at Vanguard Newspapers. Ezra was recognized as Best Campus Journalist at the Anchor University Communications Awards in 2019 and is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). Contact him at: ezra.ukanwa@corp.legit.ng or +2349036989944
