2 Dead, Dozens Injured After Air Canada Plane Crashes Into Firetruck At LaGuardia
on Mar 23, 2026
Over 40 Passengers Were Hospitalized As A Result Of The Crash
Every day, LaGuardia Airport in New York City, New York, has an average of 900 arriving and departing flights.
However, regular traffic at LaGuardia has been shut down on Monday, March 23, following a crash at the airport.
At approximately 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, a jet collided with a firetruck as it was making its landing on the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, New York.
The jet, from Air Canada, had 72 passengers and four crew members on board, with both the pilot and the co-pilot dying in the crash.
The identities of the pilot and co-pilot have not yet been released.
Additionally, 41 passengers were hospitalized, according to Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as quoted by The New York Times.
As of early Monday, March 23, a total of 32 of the injured passengers have been released from the hospital. Others remain, receiving care for more serious injuries.
This crash closed LaGuardia Airport, putting flights at a ground stop until at least 2 p.m.
Authorities Respond To The Crash
Investigating the crash is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), the latter of which is helmed by Sec. Sean Duffy.
It remains unclear whether staffing shortages from the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown contributed to this crash.
NBC News reported excerpts from air traffic control at LaGuardia, with audio including a call for the firetruck to stop on the runway: “Truck one, stop.”
Shortly after the crash, an air traffic controller said, “[That] wasn’t good to watch.”
Replying, a controller stated, “Yeah, I know I was here. I tried to reach out … we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.”
The other controller can the be heard saying, “Nah, man, you did the best you could.”
Responding to the crash, Sec. Duffy shared this harrowing image of the wreckage:
I am on my way to LaGuardia Airport now in response to last night’s horrific crash involving Air Canada Express 8646 and a fire truck that killed two pilots.@FAANews and @NTSB are working closely on this, and we will share updates as soon as possible.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) March 23, 2026
Please keep the victims,… pic.twitter.com/YWTjDn6cde
Noting that Canada was working closely with the United States in the investigation, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the crash as “deeply saddening” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
His full post may be viewed, here:
The collision involving an Air Canada Express aircraft last night in New York that claimed the lives of the pilot and co-pilot, and injured dozens more, is deeply saddening.
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) March 23, 2026
Canadian officials are working closely with their U.S. counterparts on the ground as the investigation…
A news conference on the LaGuardia Airport crash from the morning of March 23 may be viewed, here:
