LaGuardia Airport Temporarily Shuts Down Following Air Canada Jet Collision with Vehicle

LaGuardia Airport in New York has been closed following an incident involving an Air Canada Express flight that struck a ground vehicle while landing. The aircraft, operating as flight 8646 from Montreal, collided with a port authority vehicle on runway four on Sunday evening, according to the New York police. The fire department responded to the scene shortly after the incident was reported.

The CRJ-900 aircraft was traveling at approximately 24 mph (39 km/h) when the collision occurred. The flight is operated by Jazz Aviation, a regional partner of Air Canada. Initial reports indicate that the plane sustained damage to its nose, although verification of this information through social media footage remains unconfirmed.

In response to the emergency, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a ground stop for all departures to LaGuardia. The airport’s closure is currently in effect until 05:30 GMT, with a high likelihood of an extension. The FAA has not provided further details regarding the situation but has classified it as an emergency.

As a result of the airport’s closure, arriving flights have been diverted to other airports or returned to their points of origin. New York’s emergency management authority has advised the public to anticipate cancellations, road closures, and traffic delays in the vicinity of the airport, urging travelers to seek alternate routes.

The situation continues to develop, and authorities are expected to provide updates as more information becomes available.