Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on Monday that despite being “well-staffed,” New York’s LaGuardia Airport is still experiencing “shortages” of air traffic controllers.
Two individuals were tragically killed and several others sustained serious injuries when an Air Canada regional jet collided with a fire truck on a runway during landing at the airport, according to officials.
The pilot and copilot lost their lives in the late Sunday night incident, which resulted in severe damage to the front of the aircraft. Approximately 40 passengers and crew members were transported to nearby hospitals, with some sustaining critical injuries. Thankfully, most of them have already been discharged after receiving medical care, as confirmed by authorities on Monday.
Additionally, two Port Authority employees who were aboard the fire truck also suffered injuries, though they are reported to be non-life-threatening, stated Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the entity responsible for operating the airport.
In the moments leading up to the collision, an air traffic controller was heard on a radio transmission granting clearance to a vehicle to cross part of the tarmac before attempting to halt it.
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