Chilling moment air traffic controller shouts ‘stop, stop’ as plane crashes into firetruck on runway killing two
Chilling audio showing the moment an air traffic control officer begged for a fire truck to stop seconds before an Air Canada jet crashed into it at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.
Listen to this article
A pilot and co-pilot were killed on Sunday night after a passenger plane collided with a fire truck on a runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport.
The flight, which was travelling from Montreal, was landing on the New York runway at around 11:40pm when it crashed into the firetruck.
At least 41 people were injured in the incident, on top of both the pilot and co-pilot of the plane being killed.
Shocking audio from the moments before the deadly incident has now been released by NBC New York.
The fire truck had been given permission to move onto the runway due to an issue with another plane.
But air traffic control quickly realised the truck was in the path of the ill-fated plane.
“Truck One, stop, stop, stop!” an air traffic controller can be heard saying,
Addressing the plane, the controller added: “JAZZ 646, I see you collided with the vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can't move. Vehicles are responding to you now.”
The controller then says they tried to reach out to the pilots of the crashed plane, but heard nothing back.
“I tried to reach out to them. We were dealing with an emergency, and I messed up.”
A pilot in a different plane then responds, telling the controller they “did everything they could.”
Following confirmation of two deaths from the crash, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said a further 41 passengers and crew were transported to local hospitals.
At the time of writing, 32 were understood to have been released, with some "serious injuries" reported, Ms Garcia added.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was a Bombardier CRJ-900 twin-jet aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, that was involved in the collision.
The plane - a smaller model CRJ-900 - reportedly had 76 people onboard, including four crew members, Jazz Aviation said in a statement.
The operator added that these are preliminary numbers from its passenger list that are "subject to confirmation".
The FAA added that it is investigating the crash, adding that there will be no flights in or out of the airport until 2pm ET (6pm UK time).
In a statement on X, the New York City Police Department told people to "expect delays and avoid the area if possible".
"Due to an emergency incident at LaGuardia Airport, all streets and highway exits into the airport are closed until further notice."
The New York City Fire Department posted on X, telling people to "expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel near LaGuardia Airport".
place following the collision.
"Emergency response protocols were immediately activated," the airport said.
"The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency's Chairman and Executive Director."