‘Incident’ between plane, vehicle halts flights at NY airport

A plane and an official vehicle collided on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, authorities said early Monday, forcing a halt to flights at the transport hub.

The New York police department told AFP that an Air Canada plane “collided with a port authority vehicle”.

Separately, the fire department said it had “responded to a reported incident involving a plane and vehicle” on runway four.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for the airport, saying there was a “high” likelihood it would be extended.

Authorities did not immediately provide details of the incident, including on casualties.

AFP has contacted the port authority and Air Canada for comment.

Flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 said an Air Canada Express plane had “collided with an airport rescue and firefighting vehicle” while landing.

The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada’s regional partner, had departed from Montreal, the platform said.

It “was rolling down the runway when it struck” the vehicle as it crossed its path, according to FlightRadar24.

Unverified social media images showed an Air Canada aircraft with a badly damaged nose and cockpit area apparently on a runway at night, with emergency vehicles nearby.

New York’s emergency management authority warned people to “expect cancellations, road closures, traffic delays & emergency personnel” near the major transport hub in the borough of Queens.

“Use alternate routes,” it said on X.

All departing flights from LaGuardia had been either delayed or canceled as of early Monday, the airport’s website showed.

AFP has also contacted the airport and the port authority police department for comment.

LaGuardia had already been suffering from flight disruptions due to poor weather, the airport said Sunday on X.

Passengers were also waiting longer to pass security due to “staffing impacts” from a federal funding lapse, it said last week.