Pilot, co-pilot killed in runway collision at New York airport

New York: A plane carrying dozens of people collided with a fire truck on a runway at New York s LaGuardia airport, killing the pilot and co pilot and...

New York: A plane carrying dozens of people collided with a fire truck on a runway at New York's LaGuardia airport, killing the pilot and co-pilot and causing "serious injuries" to others, authorities said Monday.

Due to the crash late Sunday, US aviation authorities halted all flights at LaGuardia, and the port authority said the airport would stay shut until at least 2:00 pm (1800 GMT) "to allow for a thorough investigation."

The closure follows the dramatic collision that left the Air Canada Express plane tilted back on its tail on the tarmac with a smashed cockpit, and flanked by emergency vehicles with flashing lights.

The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the crash, Kathryn Garcia, the head of the city's port authority, said at a press conference.

Forty-one people were taken to the hospital, some with "serious injuries," though 32 have since been released, Garcia said.