Authorities shut down one of the busiest airports in the US on Monday, March 23, after a fatal accident occurred on one of its runways.
New York LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) is completely closed until at least Monday afternoon after an Air Canada regional plane collided with a fire truck that was crossing a runway on Sunday night. The CRJ-900 was flying from Montreal on Air Canada Express Flight 8646 and was operated by Jazz Aviation, a subsidiary of Air Canada. 72 passengers and four crew members were on board.
Both the pilot and the copilot died in the incident, which occurred at about 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, according to a post on X from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. There were 41 passengers and crew who were sent to nearby hospitals, according to a press conference by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees LGA. At least 36 passengers were treated and released from the hospital, but some fliers remain hospitalized with serious injuries, the Port Authority said. Two airport firefighters also sustained serious injuries, according to Duffy.
LaGuardia is under a ground-stop order on Monday until at least 2 p.m., according to the National Airspace System Status site, as the NTSB launches an investigation into the accident. Duffy said he was also on his way to the airport to assist the investigation.
The closure is leading to hundreds of canceled flights, delays, and diverted air traffic. There were at least 575 cancellations to and from LaGuardia on Monday morning, according to data from FlightAware. LGA’s ground stop is expected to cause flight delays and disruptions around the country, as the airport is a key hub with connections to most major US airports. As of 10 a.m. on Monday, there were at least 1,521 flights delayed in the US, FlightAware said.
A situation at another New York-area airport compounded disruptions early Monday. New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) evacuated its air traffic control tower after a burning smell was detected in the elevator, according to the AP. FlightAware showed more than 100 flights to and from Newark were delayed on Monday morning.
An alert on LaGuardia Airport’s website encouraged travelers to check their flight status with their airline before arriving at the airport.
Major airlines are issuing change fee waivers so passengers’ scheduled to fly through the New York area can adjust their itineraries for free. So far, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United have all issued travel waivers to allow passengers added flexibility.
Travelers should monitor their email, texts, and airline apps for updates from their air carriers.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
