2 pilots killed after Air Canada jet hits fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia | World News

An Air Canada jet and Port Authority fire truck sit on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with each other after the jet landed Sunday night in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Two pilots died after an Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a fire truck while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, according to The Guardian. The crash led to injuries and forced the airport to shut for several hours.

The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated Jazz Aviation, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew. The fire truck was responding to another emergency when the collision took place at about 11:45pm ET, officials said.

Nine people were taken to hospital, while two firefighters suffered serious injuries. US transportation secretary Sean Duffy said, as quoted The Guardian, that “both pilots of the aircraft have passed away” and more than a dozen people were hurt.

An Air Canada Jet sits on the runway at LaGuardia Airport, Monday, March 23, 2026, after colliding with a Port Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle after landing in New York. (AP Photo)

Audio from air traffic control suggests confusion in the moments before the crash. A controller can be heard warning, “Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” before trying to divert aircraft. Another voice later said, “I messed up,” according to recordings cited The Guardian.

US President Donald Trump called the incident “terrible”, while Canada’s Prime Miner Mark Carney said it was “deeply saddening”.Story continues below this ad

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation. Authorities will also review whether staffing levels in air traffic control played a role.

The airport reopened at 2pm ET, but passengers were warned to expect delays and cancellations. Several flights were diverted during the closure.

The fire truck had been responding to a United Airlines flight that reported an odour onboard, officials said.