Two pilots killed as Air Canada jet collides with fire truck at LaGuardia airport

Two pilots were killed late Sunday night when an Air Canada regional jet collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport , in a crash that left dozens injured and the airport shuttered for hours.

The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada , had originated from Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members when it touched down at approximately 11:45 p.m. As it rolled along the runway, it struck a Port Authority rescue and firefighting vehicle that had been dispatched to handle a separate incident, a United Airlines flight whose pilot had reported an unusual odour on board.

The collision obliterated the front section of the jet , leaving its crumpled nose tilted skyward amid a tangle of cables and debris. The emergency vehicle ended up on its side nearby. Passengers were evacuated through emergency exits as stairways were brought to the aircraft. In total, 39 people were transported to area hospitals , several with serious injuries, though most were released by Monday. Two Port Authority employees aboard the fire truck sustained non-life-threatening injuries .

The two fatalities were identified as the pilot and co-pilot, both based in Canada , confirmed Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

A recovered air traffic control transmission revealed a controller urgently ordering the truck to halt moments before impact "Stop, Truck 1. Stop" before frantically attempting to redirect the incoming flight, raising questions about runway coordination .

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. LaGuardia, the 19th busiest airport in the United States, remained closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday .