Two Delta-operated jets collided on a runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Wednesday, leaving one crew member injured and raising fresh questions over safety at one of the country’s busiest hubs.
The incident occurred just before 10 p.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. One Endeavor Air aircraft was landing as another prepared for takeoff. The wing of the departing plane struck the fuselage of the arriving jet, Delta later confirmed.
Ninety-three passengers and crew were on board the two aircraft. One person was taken to hospital with what authorities described as “non-life-threatening injuries.” Delta said the injured was a flight attendant with minor injuries.
Images published by US outlets, which could not be independently verified, showed damage to the nose of one of the planes.
Despite the collision, airport operations were not disrupted. Flights continued as normal, the Port Authority said.
Delta, Endeavor’s parent company, called the crash a “low-speed collision during taxi” and said it would cooperate fully with investigators. “We will work with all relevant authorities to review the incident and ensure the highest levels of safety,” the airline said in a statement.
The collision comes at a time of heightened concern over US aviation safety. A series of close calls at major airports this year has prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to step up oversight and introduce new training requirements for ground staff and air traffic controllers.
For passengers at LaGuardia, a crowded airport often criticised for its congestion, the scare was another reminder of the fine margins in modern aviation.
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