Pilot and co-pilot killed after Air Canada passenger plane crashes at airport

A pilot and co-pilot have died after an Air Canada passenger plane collided with a fire engine at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

The Bombardier CRJ-900 twin-jet aircraft departed from Montreal, Canada, at 10:12pm local time on Sunday evening (22 Mar), landing at LaGuardia 90 minutes later, at 11:40pm. As the plane was landing, it collided with the emergency vehicle.

FlightRadar24 data alleges that the plane had been travelling at around 24mph when it slammed into the fire engine.

According to Port Authority director Kathryn Garcia, the fire engine had been on the runway to attend to another aircraft with a reported odour issue.

CBS have since confirmed that the separate incident centred upon a United Airlines flight that had postponed takeoff following an anti-ice warning, after which pilots reported an odour in the cockpit that allegedly left flight attendants and passengers feeling unwell.

No flights are expected to leave LaGuardia until Monday afternoon (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Air Canada jet had been carrying 76 people; 41 were transported to the hospital immediately after the crash. Nine of these remain hospitalised with serious injuries, while 32 have been released.

"At approximately 11.40 last night, Air Canada flight 8646 operated by Jazz collided with the Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and firefighting vehicle on Runway Four," Garcia explained at a press conference, as cited by Sky News.

"Initial numbers indicate that 41 passengers and crew were transported to the hospital... at this time, we understand that 32 have been released, but there are also serious injuries."

She also confirmed that the aircraft's pilot and co-pilot had been killed in the crash.

According to the BBC, two firefighters are among those still seriously injured.

The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the collision (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Asked whether a shortage of Air Traffic Control staff may have contributed to the incident, Garcia referenced the National Transportation Safety Board, who she said will 'make that determination on who was in the control tower at the time'.

"We're going to leave that to be part of the investigation at this time," she continued.

As ruled by the Federal Aviation Administration, LaGuardia Airport - located in the Queens area of New York - has since remained closed while investigations into the incident continue.

No flights are expected to depart from LaGuardia until at least 2pm on Monday (23 Mar).

New York City Police Department also warned holidaymakers and those living in the region to 'expect delays and avoid the area if possible', as per a statement shared on X.

An investigation is now underway (ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images)

"Due to an emergency incident at LaGuardia Airport, all streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice," the notice added.

The city's Fire Department reiterated the same message in a social media post of its own, urging people to 'expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel near LaGuardia Airport', and 'use alternate routes'.

As reported by The Independent, over 400 flights have been cancelled so far in light of the collision.