2 Pilots Dead As Air Canada Jet Collides With Ground Vehicle At New York Airport

A spokesperson for the New York City Fire Department confirmed that firefighters rushed to LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, after reports of a plane striking a vehicle on the runway at exactly 11:38 p.m. on Sunday night.

The incident involved an Air Canada Express regional jet, operated by Jazz Aviation as Flight 8646, a CRJ-900 from Montreal. It collided with a Port Authority Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate emergency on Runway 4.

NaijaChoice News gathered that the impact sheared off the aircraft’s nose, leaving the plane badly damaged while the fire truck was destroyed. The pilot and co-pilot were killed, while at least two Port Authority officers and several firefighters sustained serious injuries.

LaGuardia Airport was immediately closed. The Federal Aviation Administration placed a full ground stop on all flights, causing widespread delays and cancellations across the region.

The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to lead the investigation, working alongside the FAA and Port Authority. Officials are still piecing together exactly how the emergency vehicle ended up in the jet’s path during landing.

This tragedy unfolded against a backdrop of rising global tensions. At the same period, President Donald Trump posted fresh warnings on social media, threatening to “obliterate” key Iranian targets and power plants if Tehran disrupts oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz.

The remarks come weeks after the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February during joint US-Israeli strikes. No direct link exists between the two events, but the timing has drawn attention worldwide.

Aviation experts in Nigeria are urging travellers to double-check flight schedules, especially those connecting through US hubs. Many Nigerian families use LaGuardia for onward journeys to Canada and beyond.

Rescue operations continue at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the full passenger manifest or confirmed if any other nationalities were among those injured.

In other new: Tragedy as Construction Crane Hits Passenger Train in Thailand, Killing at Least 30

A tragic accident has occurred in Thailand after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train, leaving at least 30 people dead and dozens more injured.

The incident happened on Tuesday, January 14, 2026, in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeastern Thailand. Reports say the crane was part of an ongoing railway construction project when it suddenly fell onto the train as it passed beneath the site.