“Stop, stop, stop,” were the urgent words shouted by an air traffic controller to a truck driver just moments before it reportedly collided with an Air Canada Express aircraft at LaGuardia Airport on Monday. According to a widely circulated audio clip on social media, the controller initially granted permission for a vehicle, identified as Truck 1, to cross runway 4. Shortly after, the controller instructed another aircraft, Frontier 4195, to hold position. Within seconds, the situation escalated, and the controller repeatedly yelled for the truck to stop in a panicked tone.

The collision is believed to have occurred moments later. Following the incident, the controller instructed Delta 2603 to abort its approach. In the same audio, the pilot of the Air Canada aircraft was told to remain stationary after the controller observed the collision with the vehicle. The authenticity of the audio has not yet been confirmed.

Reports suggest the truck, a fire vehicle, was attempting to reach a United Airlines flight after a Boeing 737 Max declared an emergency on the ground due to a strange odor affecting crew members. The aircraft involved, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation for Air Canada, had arrived from Montreal and collided with the truck on runway 4. There were 76 passengers and four crew members onboard. The pilot and co-pilot sustained serious injuries, while two personnel on the ground suffered fractures but were reported to be in stable condition.

The aircraft, which can carry up to 76 passengers, reportedly struck the vehicle at around 39 km/h late at night, according to flight tracking data. Images shared online showed significant damage to the front of the plane on a rain-soaked runway. Following the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration imposed a temporary ground stop at the airport. Authorities in New York also warned of possible cancellations, traffic disruptions, and road closures near the area, advising commuters to use alternative routes. The airport had already been experiencing delays due to adverse weather conditions.