A pilot and co-pilot have been killed after an Air Canada passenger plane collided with a fire truck on a runway at LaGuardia airport in New York, a Port Authority official has confirmed. LaGuardia Airport, which handles over 30 million passengers a year, has been closed while investigation work takes place.

The Federal Aviation Administration said there will be no flights in or out of the airport until 2pm ET (6pm GMT). The aircraft, arriving from Montreal, collided with a vehicle operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the airport. The incident occurred on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport late last night, March 22. According to a spokesperson for the New York City Fire Department, firefighters responded to reports of a plane striking a vehicle on the runway at 11.38 pm ET (3.38 GMT).

The flight had departed from Montréal–Trudeau International Airport shortly after 10.30 pm ET (2.30 am GMT).

The FAA identified the aircraft as a Bombardier CRJ-900 twin-engine jet and confirmed it is investigating the crash.

Jazz Aviation LP, operating as Air Canada Express, issued a statement confirming the accident. The airline says 72 passengers and four crew members were on board, but added that these are preliminary numbers from its passenger list that are “subject to confirmation”.

LaGuardia Airport said in a statement that the accident took place at approximately 11.40pm ET (3.40 GMT) and “emergency response protocols were immediately activated”.

The Port Authority Police Department is on scene along with the agency’s Chairman and Executive Director.

The statement went on to call the scene a “developing situation based on preliminary information”, adding police are working with airlines and authorities and will give further updates when they become available.

In a press conference held shortly before 9am GMT, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia confirmed the two pilots had sadly died in the incident.

She also said several people were left injured, explaining: “At approximately 11.40 last night, Air Canada flight 8646 operated by Jazz collided with the Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and firefighting vehicle on Runway Four.

“Initial numbers indicate that 41 passengers and crew were transported to the hospital… at this time, we understand that 32 have been released, but there are also serious injuries.”

New York’s emergency management authority has warned people to “expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays and emergency personnel” near the airport, which is located in northern Queens, right along the East River. “Use alternate routes,” it said on X.