No fatalities after plane crashes, overturns during landing at Toronto’s Pearson airport, 18 injured
A terrifying incident unfolded at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon when a plane crashed and flipped on its back, injuring 18 passengers. The chaotic scene left passengers shaken and emergency responders working diligently to ensure everyone’s safety.
Departures and arrivals on the airport’s three remaining runways were suspended immediately following the crash landing, but operations resumed by 5 p.m. ET. Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), provided updates to the media, stating that the injured individuals had been taken to area hospitals. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.
Initially, reports from Peel Regional Paramedic Services suggested that 15 passengers were hurt, but Delta Air Lines later confirmed that a total of 18 people were injured. The 76 passengers and four crew members onboard the Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis to Toronto were all accounted for, with 22 Canadians among them. The remaining passengers were multinational.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with two runways remaining closed. The GTAA expressed gratitude that there were no fatalities and commended the quick response of first responders. Ornge, Ontario’s air ambulance service, dispatched three air ambulance helicopters and two critical care land ambulances to the scene.
Passenger accounts of the harrowing experience shed light on the chaos that ensued. Peter Carlson, a passenger on the flight, described the landing as forceful and sudden, resulting in the plane flipping over. He recounted the immediate sense of urgency to help others and find a way out of the overturned aircraft.
Audio recordings from Pearson’s air traffic control tower captured the tense moments leading up to and following the crash. The tower warned the pilots of potential turbulence in the glide path, and emergency crews sprang into action upon learning of the crash. The aircraft, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR, was built by Bombardier Inc. and registered to Delta Air Lines.
In the aftermath of the crash, federal Transport Minister Anita Anand urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport due to diverted flights. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board are both involved in the investigation.
As other airports accepted diverted flights from Pearson, officials and leaders expressed relief that there were no fatalities in the incident. The situation at the airport was described as “messed up” by passengers and bystanders, highlighting the chaos and uncertainty that unfolded that afternoon.
The courage and quick actions of first responders, airport staff, and passengers themselves were instrumental in ensuring the safety and well-being of those involved in the crash. The investigation into the cause of the incident will continue as authorities work to determine what led to the plane flipping on its back at Pearson International Airport.
