A Delta Air Lines plane crash-landed and flipped over at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, leaving at least 18 people injured. The incident occurred around 2:45 pm local time when Flight 4819, operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, arrived from Minneapolis.
The plane was carrying 80 passengers and crew members, turned upside down on the snow-covered tarmac after landing. Video footage shared on social media showed people walking away from the overturned aircraft.
Peel Regional Paramedic Services told local media that two people in critical condition were airlifted to a nearby trauma centre, while one child was taken by ambulance to a hospital in downtown Toronto, per Sydney Morning Herald. 12 others sustained minor injuries. The Guardian reports that at least 18 people have suffered injuries.
All 80 people on board were successfully evacuated, according to the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). Toronto Pearson Airport confirmed that emergency teams responded to the incident and all passengers and crew were accounted for.
John Nelson, a passenger on the flight, posted a video of the crashed plane on Facebook. You can hear him saying, “Most people appear to be okay. We’re all getting off.”
The crash occurred amid challenging weather conditions, with a snowstorm hitting eastern Canada on Sunday. Strong winds and freezing temperatures persisted in Toronto on Monday, leading to numerous flight delays at the airport.
Peel Regional Police Constable Sarah Patten said, “There is a plane crash. However, we don’t know the circumstances surrounding it at this point,” per Sydney Morning Herald.
“It is my understanding that most of the passengers are out and unharmed, but we’re still trying to make sure so we’re still on scene investigating.”
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has deployed a team to investigate the accident. Meanwhile, the FAA announced that they would assist in the investigation.
This incident follows multiple recent airplane accidents in North America, including an Army helicopter collision with an American Airlines plane in Washington and a medical transport plane crash in Philadelphia, both of which occurred in January.
Lead image: John Nelson / Facebook
