NEW YORK (PulseWire) — The runway where a tragic collision occurred between an Air Canada plane and a fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport has reopened as of Thursday morning. The incident, which killed the two pilots and injured numerous others, prompted swift actions by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to repair and inspect the runway, ensuring compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.
The Port Authority confirmed that flight operations resumed at approximately 10 a.m., helping to restore full operational capacity at one of the nation’s busiest airports, although travelers are still advised to check their flight statuses due to ongoing delays and cancellations.
Over 300 flights were canceled in the last 24 hours, as reported by Flight Aware, making LaGuardia the airport with the highest number of flight interruptions in the country.
The wreckage, including the Air Canada aircraft and the fire truck, was towed from the crash site as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) commenced its investigation. According to NTSB updates, the fire truck is currently being kept in a secure, undisclosed location while inquiries continue into the events leading up to the accident.
Air Canada plans to transport the damaged jet to a hangar and will begin the process of reuniting passengers with their belongings. Additionally, CEO Michael Rousseau has publicly apologized for his inability to respond in French when addressing his condolences to the victims of the crash, after facing backlash over his English-only message.
This unfortunate crash occurred late Sunday when the Air Canada regional jet, arriving from Montreal with 76 passengers, collided with a fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway to respond to another incident. Emergency crews treated approximately 40 individuals for injuries, with most released from the hospital. Notably, a flight attendant survived the impact while still secured in her seat, being thrown onto the runway.
