NEW YORK (RTW News) — Investigators are diving deep into the circumstances surrounding the collision between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The incident occurred late Sunday night, resulting in the deaths of both pilots and injuries to several passengers. As part of their investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is reviewing the cockpit voice recorder and the activities inside the control tower just before the crash.
A news conference on Tuesday is expected to detail initial findings of the investigation.
The flight, operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada, was carrying over 70 people when it struck a fire truck during its landing. Miraculously, many passengers escaped the wreckage, including a flight attendant who survived after being thrust onto the tarmac.
Questions abound regarding how the fire truck came to be on the runway while the plane was landing and whether air traffic controllers were distracted by another emergency that was unfolding.
Despite resuming operations on Monday, the specific runway remains closed and many flights were delayed substantially as debris from the incident is cleared.
According to reports from NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy, much of the wreckage was still being investigated, with crucial flight data recorders retrieved from the accident site. The flight originated from Montreal, and the investigation continues as authorities seek to understand the events that led to the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in 34 years.
After the accident, approximately 40 individuals, including both individuals from the fire truck, were admitted to local hospitals. Fortunately, most have already been released. The deceased pilots were identified as being based in Canada, according to Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
