A Delta Air Lines plane crash-landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Monday, flipping over on the snow-covered runway. Several passengers were injured, but no loss of life was reported, authorities confirmed. Eighty people were on board the aircraft.
Emergency services transported 18 passengers to hospital, three of whom were in critical condition: a child, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 40s, according to Peel Region paramedics. The child, who was taken to the Hospital for Sick Children, is in stable condition. Twelve other people suffered minor injuries, ABC News reported.
Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto’s Pearson Airport, praised the rescue teams for their swift action, which saved all the passengers. “There was no loss of life, and that’s thanks in part to our heroic, trained professionals, our first responders at the airport,” Flint said, according to ABC News.
The plane, Delta flight 4819, had departed from Minneapolis and was carrying 76 passengers and four crew members, including 22 Canadian citizens.
Ongoing investigation
Authorities are working to determine the cause of the accident. Toronto Airport Fire Chief Todd Aitken reported that the runway was dry and that no crosswinds were reported at the time of landing, ABC News reported. However, strong winds of up to 40 mph (about 64 km/h) at low altitudes were recorded in the area.
The accident also triggered a fire, but emergency crews quickly brought it under control.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on social media, “I have reached out to my Canadian counterpart to offer my assistance and help with the investigation,” according to ABC News.
Partial resumption of flights
Toronto Pearson Airport temporarily suspended flights after the accident, but operations resumed at 5 p.m. Eastern time, according to airport officials. Two runways remain closed, however, which could lead to further delays.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed his support for those affected by the incident, saying, “The entire Delta family’s heart goes out to those affected by today’s incident,” ABC News reported.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also expressed her relief on social media: “I’m relieved to hear that all passengers and crew have been accounted for after today’s plane crash at Toronto Pearson. Thank you to the first responders, crew and airport staff for their quick action and commitment to keeping everyone safe.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, whose state was the flight’s departure point, also praised the work of the rescue workers. “Thank you to the first responders and professionals on the scene,” he wrote, according to ABC News.