Eyewitnesses have described the moment Air Canada flight AC8646 crashed into a fire truck on the runway of New York's LaGuardia airport, killing two pilots and injuring dozens of others.
We were literally like 100 metres away, says 23-year-old Leo Medina, who was onboard another plane on the tarmac when the crash happened. It was like the plane got cut in half.
Medina said he then had to return to the gate and had been waiting in the airport for more than 12 hours, sleeping on the floor on a bed of jackets.
After visiting the crash site on Monday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of wearing seat belts, stating, As you see from last night, they do save lives.
Québec native Antoine Forest, 30, was identified as one of the Air Canada pilots who died in the collision, while the other pilot remains unnamed. FAA administrator Bran Bedford expressed deep sorrow, calling it an absolute tragedy for those early in their careers.
In addition to the pilots, the incident injured 41 people, several of whom were hospitalized with serious injuries. Several passengers described moments of chaos as they reacted to the unexpected crash. Rebecca Liquori noted a loud boom after the plane landed roughly, and Jack Cabot recounted scenes of panic and confusion.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani labeled the event a tragic collision and assured the public that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident thoroughly. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada and U.S. President Donald Trump have expressed their condolences, highlighting the sector's risks.
The incident comes amidst ongoing disruptions within U.S. airport operations, as the country faces personnel shortages at airport security checkpoints. LaGuardia was closed until Monday afternoon, causing widespread flight cancellations and delays.
