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New York’s LaGuardia Airport reopened with one runway at 2 p.m. Monday after a weekend collision between an Air Canada plane and a fire truck killed the pilot and co-pilot, officials said.
Travelers are advised to plan ahead and check with their airline for updates.
“As operations resume, travelers should expect residual delays and cancellations,” the airport said in a post on X.
The crash occurred around 11:40 p.m. Sunday, when a Jazz Aviation flight operating for Air Canada struck a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on Runway 4. The vehicle was responding to a separate incident, according to airport officials.
There were 72 passengers and four crew members on board. Authorities said 39 passengers and crew were taken to hospitals, though some have since been released. Two Port Authority employees in the fire truck were also injured, but not seriously. Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said the aircraft’s pilot and co-pilot were based in Canada.
During a news conference on Monday afternoon, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the crash scene "incredibly sad and troubling." He also reminded Americans to wear their seatbelts on every flight, referencing the seriousness of the crash and injuries.
Duffy said he wants Americans to know they are "working their hearts off" to ensure they remain safe when traveling, noting the crucial precautions and policies the Transportation Department puts into place.
He was asked by reporters if he had heard rumors that there was only one air traffic controller in the tower at the time of the collision. Duffy responded, saying, "That's not accurate." He did not say how many people were in the tower at the time of the incident.
He also emphasized that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating and will provide further details, but that he couldn't provide specifics on "what went wrong." Members of the FAA and Transport Canada are also on the scene.
Duffy told reporters on Monday that LaGuardia has a target of 37 air traffic controllers and that it currently has 33 controllers employed. He described the airport as "well-staffed" and said there are seven individuals in training to become controllers right now.
Sec. Duffy also called on Congress to appropriate more funds to update aging air traffic control infrastructure across the country.
"We are modernizing our system. But we can't fully modernize it until the Congress gives us additional money," Duffy said, saying it is not a partisan issue and that lawmakers must have "the will" to finish the funding.
"I'm not saying that this crash would have been prevented if we had all of the equipment deployed but it's important if we care about air travel safety, we care about having a brand-new air traffic control system," Duffy explained.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims in the crash, noting that his agency is "deeply moved by the tragedy of last night." He said the pilots killed were two young men at the start of their careers.
Bedford described conditions at the time of the incident as moderate winds, four miles of visibility and mist and fog conditions.
Garcia said her agency takes great pride in working with all partners to deliver safety to the flying public. According to Garcia, it has been 34 years since an incident with a death at the airport.
"While the facts of what happened last night at 11:45 p.m. were well known. Yes, it was an aviation disaster. The likes of which we have not seen here in over three decades. But it is a deeply human story where two young pilots left their homes expecting to return to their families and they will not," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said.
READ MORE: https://13wham.com/news/nation-world/pilot-copilot-killed-in-runway-collision-between-jet-and-fire-truck-at-new-yorks-laguardia-airport-air-canada-jazz-aviation-port-authority-national-transportation-safety-board-investigation?teaserSource=trending
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