NEW YORK (RTWNews) — The runway at LaGuardia Airport has reopened early Thursday after a catastrophic incident where an Air Canada flight collided with a fire truck, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and injuries to multiple individuals.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that flight operations resumed around 10 a.m. after thorough repairs and inspections verified compliance with Federal Aviation Administration safety standards.
This reopening of the crucial runway will restore full operational capacity at LaGuardia, which has reported the highest number of flight delays and cancellations in the United States, with over 300 cancellations noted in the past day, according to flight tracking data from FlightAware.
Following the collision Sunday night, the wreckage of the Air Canada aircraft and the fire truck were removed from the site as investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continue. The fire truck has been placed in a secure location, with inquiries about the plane's status directed to Air Canada, which has not yet provided comments on the incident.
Air Canada has stated that the damaged aircraft will be moved into a hangar, and efforts to reunite passengers with their belongings are ongoing. The airline's CEO, Michael Rousseau, has also issued a public apology after facing criticism regarding an English-only condolence message following the tragedy.
The accident occurred when an Air Canada regional jet, arriving from Montreal with 76 people onboard, struck the fire truck which had been given the go-ahead to cross the runway to respond to a different emergency. Reports indicate that approximately 40 individuals were treated for various injuries resulting from the accident, but most have now been discharged from medical facilities.
