Deadly Collision Shuts Down LaGuardia As Flights Halted Across NYC

All flights were canceled at LaGuardia Airport after a late-night runway collision between an Air Canada Express jet and an airport firetruck left two pilots dead and multiple passengers injured.

The crash occurred just before midnight Sunday as the aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, was completing its landing after a flight from Montreal. Officials said the plane was traveling at a relatively low speed when it struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate emergency.

According to early reports, more than a dozen passengers were injured in the collision, with several transported to local hospitals including Elmhurst Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Queens.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the two pilots killed in the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a full shutdown of the airport in the early morning hours, halting all incoming and outgoing flights as investigators began examining the scene.

The New York Police Department also issued a travel advisory, warning that all roads and highway access points into the airport were closed, urging travelers to avoid the area.

Preliminary details suggest a possible communication breakdown may have contributed to the collision. Air traffic control audio circulating online appears to capture a controller expressing concern after the incident, though officials have not confirmed the authenticity or context of the recording.

The aircraft involved, Air Canada Express Flight 8646, was carrying more than 70 passengers and crew at the time of the crash, though final numbers are still being verified.

The incident comes at a time when airports across the country are already under strain due to the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which has left TSA staffing depleted and contributed to long security lines and operational disruptions.

With LaGuardia closed and investigations underway, travel chaos is expected to ripple across the New York region and beyond as airlines scramble to reroute flights and accommodate stranded passengers.