A tragic incident occurred at LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, when an arriving regional jet collided with a Port Authority rescue vehicle on the runway.
According to officials and a statement shared by the airport, Air Canada Express Flight 8646, operated by Jazz Aviation, was landing from Montreal just before midnight when it struck the vehicle, which had been responding to a separate issue involving a United Airlines aircraft reporting an onboard odor.
The aircraft, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members.
Two pilots were killed in the collision, and dozens of passengers and personnel were injured. Emergency crews transported 43 people to area hospitals, though many have since been released according to NBC News. The two Port Authority officers in the vehicle were reported to be in stable condition.
By early this morning, more than 570 flights had already been canceled, stranding thousands of travelers and creating knock-on delays across the country.
Airport Status and Ground Stop
In the immediate aftermath, LaGuardia suspended all operations, with officials indicating the airport would remain closed until at least this afternoon, according to a press conference led by Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia.
The airport’s website indicates that arriving planes are being diverted to other regional hubs or returned to their origin.
According to Garcia, the airport was expected to remain closed until at least 2 pm ET today to facilitate an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Opening Update
As of just after 2 pm ET, LaGuardia Airport has reopened one runway, marking the first step toward resuming operations after the overnight collision. The first departing flight was observed taking off around 2:08 p.m. ET, according to NBC News.
However, officials cautioned that significant delays and cancellations are expected to continue as the airport works through a backlog of disrupted flights and ongoing investigation activity.
Last Updated: 3:45 pm ET
Guidelines for Affected Passengers
For those with scheduled travel today, the following steps are recommended,.
- Reunification Services: According to the press conference, families of passengers on the affected Air Canada flight (AC8646) have been directed to the Air Canada ticket counter at the terminal for reunification and support services. Additionally, a statement by Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that a hotline has been set up by Air Canada for friends and families of affected passengers at 1-800-961-7099.
- Confirm Flight Status: According to a statement shared by LaGuardia Airport, travelers should contact their individual airlines directly for the latest information before heading to the airport.
- Monitor Secondary Disruptions: According to NBC News, additional ground stops were briefly reported at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) earlier today due to unrelated issues, which may further complicate regional travel.
This article will be updated.
