Aircraft and emergency vehicle crash on tarmac at New York airfield

A dramatic collision occurred late Sunday at New York's LaGuardia airport, where a plane carrying dozens of people struck a fire truck on a runway, prompting authorities to halt all flights at the transport hub.

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The impact heavily damaged the nose and cockpit section of the Air Canada Express plane, which had arrived from Montreal, as seen in AFP pictures showing the aircraft surrounded by emergency vehicles with flashing lights on the tarmac.

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Authorities have yet to disclose whether any injuries were sustained by the fire crew or the 76 people believed to have been onboard the plane, which was operated by Jazz Aviation, a regional partner of Air Canada.

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The incident occurred on Runway 4 at around 11:40 pm on Sunday, or 0340 GMT Monday, when the aircraft struck a firefighting vehicle responding to a separate incident, according to New York's Port Authority.

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A preliminary passenger list indicated that the 76 people onboard included four crew members, as stated by Jazz Aviation in a statement.

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US aviation authorities have grounded all flights at the airport, citing a "high" likelihood of an extended suspension, and the Port Authority has announced that the airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation.

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Emergency response protocols were "immediately activated" following the incident, the Port Authority said in a statement to AFP.

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Jazz Aviation confirmed that the crash involved a CRJ-900 aircraft, which had flown into LaGuardia from Montreal as flight AC8646.

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According to flight tracking platform FlightRadar24, the plane "was rolling down the runway when it struck" the rescue vehicle as it crossed its path.

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New York's emergency management authority has warned people to "expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays & emergency personnel," and to use alternate routes near the airport.

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LaGuardia airport had already been experiencing flight disruptions due to poor weather, as announced by the airport on Sunday on X, and passengers were also facing longer wait times to pass security due to "staffing impacts" from a federal funding lapse, as mentioned by the airport last week.

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Located in the New York borough of Queens, LaGuardia is New York's third-busiest airport, having served 33.5 million passengers in 2024, according to Port Authority figures.

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The airport completed an $8 billion redevelopment in 2024, upgrading its aging infrastructure with new terminals and roadways.

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Several fatal aviation incidents have occurred in the United States in recent months, including a collision between a passenger jet and an army helicopter near Washington in January last year that killed 67 people.

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Other incidents and close calls have taken place while aircraft have been on the ground, highlighting concerns over aviation safety.