In brief
An Air Canada flight crashed into a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, resulting in two pilot fatalities and numerous injuries. Eyewitnesses describe the chaotic scene, with one passenger noting it felt like the plane was 'cut in half'. Following the crash, the airport was closed, leading to flight cancellations and delays.
Eyewitness accounts are emerging following the tragic crash of Air Canada flight AC8646, which collided with a fire truck on the runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and injuries to many others.
We were literally like 100 metres away, recounts Leo Medina, a 23-year-old passenger on another plane, describing the moment he witnessed the crash. He added, It was like the plane got cut in half. Medina, stuck at the airport for over 12 hours afterward, shared his distressing experience of sleeping on the floor with only jackets for comfort.
Another passenger, Rebecca Liquori, who was on the flight that crashed from Montreal, described hearing a loud explosion shortly after landing. As we were descending, we hit a lot of turbulence. Then we landed very roughly; everybody felt it. It was like the plane jolted and you heard the pilot try to brake trying to prevent the collision, she explained. Then, a few seconds later, there was just a very loud boom, and everybody jolted out of their seats.
Following the crash, which occurred late Sunday night, 41 individuals were taken to the hospital, some suffering from severe injuries. The shockwave of the accident extended, with LaGuardia Airport, one of the busiest in the United States, shutting down operations, leading to the cancellation and delay of hundreds of flights.
Air traffic control audio captured the frantic moments just before the collision, with an urgent request to the fire truck to stop. The truck had recently responded to another incident on another plane that had reported an odour issue.
Liquori emphasized her relief at surviving the ordeal, stating, I'm just happy to be alive. I would have never pictured a one-hour flight that I've done countless times... ending like this. Amidst chaotic scenes described by Jack Cabot, another passenger, the crash incident continues to unravel as emergency services handle the aftermath.
The situation remains tense at LaGuardia Airport, with many travelers expressing their fears and uncertainties as they navigate the ongoing disruption.
