accident
By Stephen Swanson
AUTHORITIES say at least 18 people are injured after a Delta Air Lines plane flipped upside down while landing amid wintry conditions Monday at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration says 80 people were aboard Flight 4819, which originated from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
According to Deborah Flint, president and CEO of Toronto Pearson International Airport, the plane was carrying four crew and 76 passengers, among them, 22 Canadians. The other passengers were multinational.
Airport emergency workers mounted a textbook response, reaching the site within minutes and quickly evacuating the passengers,” Flint said during a news conference Monday night.
She added that 17 passengers had been taken to local area hospitals.
Peel Regional Paramedic Services initially classified two adults and one child as being in critical condition. The Hospital for Sick Children said a pediatric patient it received is now in good condition. The rest of the injuries are minor to moderate, officials said.
The critically injured adults — a woman in her 40s and a man in his 60s — were airlifted to the hospital, according to air ambulance service officials.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed it is deploying a team to investigate the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA say they will send U.S. investigators to assist the TSB in its investigation.
Toronto Pearson International Airport Fire Chief Todd Aitken said Monday night that the runway was dry and there were no crosswind conditions at the time of the crash.
Flint says two runways at the airport will be closed for at least part of the day Tuesday for the investigation, and travelers should expect delays.
Delta Air Lines later released more information, saying the single-aircraft accident occurred around 1:15 p.m. CST. Four of the people on board were crew members. Delta says all of its remaining flights on Monday going in and out of Pearson are canceled.
“The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident,” said Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA issued the following statement: “AFA crew were working this flight. Reports are there are no fatalities. Please do not speculate on this incident as everyone works to gather information and support those involved.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he is “relieved” there are no casualties.
“Provincial officials are in contact with the airport and local authorities and will provide any help that’s needed,” Ford said.
Meteorologists say that there was blowing snow in Toronto and visibility was down to 6 miles at the time of the incident, with winds at 20 mph and gusts up to 37 mph. Temperatures were well below freezing, at 17°F.
The flight was operated by Endeavor Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Monday’s incident occurred just weeks after a deadly mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. Officials said everyone on both aircraft perished.
Two days later, a Leer medical jet crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all six passengers and one person who was on the ground.
This is a developing story. Check back for further information as it is available.
Yahoonews/CBSnews
A.I
Feb. 18, 2025
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