New York/IBNS-CMEDIA: Air Canada said its maintenance teams are on site and will move the aircraft from the runway once it is safe, following the March 22 crash involving Air Canada Express Flight 8646, as four people remain hospitalised.
The flight, operated by Jazz Aviation, collided with a ground vehicle while landing at LaGuardia Airport.
Air Canada said its maintenance teams are on site and will move the aircraft to a secure hangar “once it is safe to do so”.
The airline said it will begin returning baggage and personal belongings after the aircraft is secured, though identifying and sorting items will take time.
According to a statement, Air Canada and Jazz Aviation are cooperating with investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the US National Transportation Safety Board.
Two pilots were killed in the collision, and dozens of passengers and crew were injured when the aircraft struck a fire truck crossing the runway, according to media reports.
The flight, arriving from Montreal, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members.
About 40 people were hospitalised following the crash, most of whom have since been discharged, with four still receiving treatment, officials said.
The crash is under investigation, with early reports indicating a possible breakdown in air traffic control coordination that allowed both the aircraft to land and the vehicle to enter the runway.
In the audio, an official is heard saying, “Truck 1 and company, LaGuardia Tower are requesting to cross Runway 4 at Delta,” to which the driver responds, “Truck 1 and company are crossing 4.”
Shortly after, the controller warns another aircraft, “Frontier 4195, just stop there, please,” before urgently repeating, “Stop, stop, stop, stop, Truck 1, stop, stop, stop,” seconds before the collision.
(Reporting by Suman Das)
