US3 min(s) read
Published 10:29 23 Mar 2026 GMT
A harrowing audio clip has revealed the words of an air traffic controller to a fire engine that collided with an airplane at New York’s LaGuardia airport, killing two people.
The incident took place overnight and saw an Air Canada plane collide with a fire truck on the tarmac, killing both the pilot and co-pilot and injuring others.
The flight was arriving from Montréal at around 11:40pm last night when it struck a fire truck that was on the runway.
The incident left the plane badly damaged at the nose, and left the two pilots dead.
41 people were hospitalized after the incident.
According to one source, one of those injured was a flight attendant who was thrown out of the front of the jet - affiliated with Jazz Air but operated by Air Canada - while still in her seat.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority said: “Emergency response protocols were immediately activated.
“The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency's Chairman and Executive Director,
“The Port Authority Police Department is working closely with our airline partners as well as federal authorities, and will provide additional updates as more details become available.”
At the time of the crash, it is believed that the airplane was carrying 76 passengers and crew.
Air traffic audio has since been released that details the moments immediately before the crash, as the fire truck received clearance to cross Runway 4 before a plane arriving from Miami and the truck were frantically begged to stop.
The ATC could be heard saying: “Truck One, stop, stop, stop!”
Then, in the immediate aftermath of the crash, he said to the plane: “JAZZ 646, I see you collided with the vehicle.
“Just hold position.
“I know you can't move.
“Vehicles are responding to you now.”
Then the staff told the Frontier plane that the runway was to close.
The pilot of that plane could be heard saying: “That wasn't good to watch.”
In a heartbreaking exchange, the ATC said: “Yeah, I tried to reach out to them. We were dealing with an emergency, and I messed up.”
The Frontier pilot then responded: “No, you did the best you could.”
A full investigation into the incident will take place.
