Two Air Canada pilots dead after jet hits rescue vehicle at New York airport

Two Air Canada pilots are dead after a flight landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport collided with a rescue vehicle late Sunday night.

The Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Kathryn Garcia, told a press conference early Monday morning that 41 people were taken to a Queens hospital and 32 have since been released.

Jazz Aviation, a regional partner of Air Canada, says in a statement that 72 passengers and four crew members were on board flight AC8646 from Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to New York.

The local Port Authority says the airplane hit a rescue and firefighting vehicle that was responding to an unrelated incident. The emergency vehicle was attending another aircraft, that aborted takeoff after reports of an odour.

Passengers were evacuated from the plane through emergency exits and stairways pushed up against the jet, a Bombardier CRJ.

Garcia says both pilots were based out of Canada, but would not provide additional identifying information until notifications are made by Air Canada’s care team.

Air Canada has set up a phone line for family and friends of passengers on Air Canada Express Flight AC8646, 1-800-961-7099.

Canada’s Transportation Minister Steven Mackinnon posted on X this morning saying that Canada is “working closely” with U.S. officials to investigate this crash.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport involving an Air Canada Express aircraft arriving from Montréal.

My thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and colleagues of those who lost their lives, as well as all those who were injured.

Canada is…

— Steven MacKinnon (@stevenmackinnon) March 23, 2026

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the collision and closed the New York airport until 2 p.m. Monday. One runway has since reopened.

Flights planned to go to the LaGuardia Airport were cancelled or diverted, including those out of Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

This is a developing news story. More to come.

With files from The Canadian Press. 

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