A Delta Air Lines flight, coming from Minneapolis, crashed while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday afternoon, but miraculously, all 80 passengers and crew members survived the harrowing incident. According to Deborah Flint, the Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, there were no fatalities, and injuries were relatively minor, although three individuals, including one child, were critically injured in the crash.
The incident occurred around 2:15 PM ET (19:15 GMT), involving Delta Flight 4819, which was being operated by Endeavor Air, a regional subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. The flight had 76 passengers and 4 crew members on board when it went off course during its final descent, flipping over on the runway and coming to rest on its roof. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, and images shared on social media displayed the overturned aircraft on the snow-covered tarmac, with one of its wings reportedly missing.
Emergency services, including fire and medical personnel, were quick to respond. Ontario’s air ambulance service, Ornge, deployed three air ambulances and two land ambulances to transport the injured. Among the critically injured passengers were a child, a man in his 60s, and a woman in her 40s. The airport’s CEO, Deborah Flint, praised the emergency response as “textbook,” noting that it was their swift and professional actions that helped prevent any fatalities and ensured that the majority of passengers were able to escape the aircraft with only minor injuries.
A total of 18 passengers were taken to the hospital following the crash, with some requiring immediate medical attention. While the scene was chaotic, passengers who were not injured were seen calmly exiting the plane with the help of airport staff. A video taken from the scene, shared on social media, showed the plane’s passengers scrambling out of the upturned aircraft doors, some running to safety, and others helped by airport personnel. The video also captured a faint smoke coming from the plane as emergency crews sprayed foam to neutralize any potential fire hazards.
The crash prompted the closure of the airport temporarily as authorities assessed the situation. However, within three hours, flights into and out of Toronto Pearson resumed operations, with the airport’s spokesperson confirming that the runways would remain partially closed for several days as investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) began their work. The TSB is responsible for gathering information, conducting investigations, and determining the cause of aviation accidents in Canada. For now, two of the runways at Toronto Pearson will remain shut down to facilitate the ongoing investigation, and passengers can expect delays in the coming days.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also weighed in, expressing his appreciation for the timely and effective response from emergency personnel. “It’s a great relief that we avoided a more devastating outcome,” Ford said, adding that the provincial government would continue to offer support to the airport and local authorities in the aftermath of the crash.
At the same time, the Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, praised the efforts of the first responders and professionals at the scene. “I’m grateful to the first responders and professionals on the scene,” Walz said, noting that the situation could have been far worse, considering the severity of the crash.
According to Flint, 22 of the passengers on board were Canadian, while the remaining passengers were from various countries around the world. Despite the harrowing nature of the crash, there were no further reports of casualties, and the airport’s emergency response was deemed successful in minimizing injuries.
However, passengers at Toronto Pearson faced significant inconvenience as the crash resulted in a domino effect on other flights. Many travelers had their flights delayed or cancelled, as dozens of flights were either diverted or rescheduled due to the airport’s temporary closure. Some passengers who were supposed to board the plane that crashed found themselves stranded at the airport for several days.
James and Andrea Turner, two passengers whose flight had been scheduled for departure, shared their experience of being caught in the aftermath of the crash. The couple had already encountered multiple delays due to the inclement weather, and after their flight was canceled, they were told to evacuate the customs area and return to the general waiting area with hundreds of other travelers. This congestion caused confusion and frustration among travelers, especially with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding flight schedules.
The crash also highlighted the weather challenges faced by Toronto Pearson Airport, which had already been grappling with heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures for days leading up to the incident. Two significant storms, one on Wednesday and another on Sunday, had dumped a total of 30-50 cm (11.8-19.6 inches) of snow across the region, further complicating the already challenging situation at the airport. On the day of the crash, light snow was falling, and the airport had issued warnings earlier in the day about frigid temperatures and high winds moving into the area. The airport had also been struggling to recover from delays caused by the previous storms.
The crash at Toronto Pearson is part of a larger pattern of recent aviation incidents in North America. It marks at least the fourth major aviation accident in the region in the past month. Notably, this follows the deadly in-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter near Washington DC’s Ronald Reagan airport, which claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard. The recent string of accidents has prompted increased scrutiny over aviation safety protocols and the ongoing challenges faced by the aviation industry in harsh weather conditions.
Despite the traumatic nature of the crash, the survival of all passengers and crew members involved is seen as a testament to the resilience of the people on board and the preparedness of the emergency responders. The investigation into the crash is still in its early stages, and the aviation community, along with the public, will be closely monitoring the findings to ensure such an incident is not repeated in the future.
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