Delta Jet Flips on Landing in Toronto, Injuring 18
A Delta Air Lines jet carrying 80 people flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon, resulting in injuries to at least 18 individuals, Al Jazeera reports.
Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
The aircraft, a CRJ-900 arriving from Minneapolis, Minnesota, overturned onto its roof at around 3:30 pm (20:30 GMT).
“There has been no loss of life, and those on board suffered only relatively minor injuries,” stated Deborah Flint, CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, during a press conference.
She initially reported that 17 injured passengers were transported to local hospitals, with no known critical injuries.
A later update from Toronto Pearson International Airport indicated that an 18th passenger had been taken to the hospital. Initial reports from Ornge, an Ontario air ambulance service, had cited that a child, a man in his 60s, and a woman in her 40s were hospitalized with critical injuries. The discrepancy in the accounts of patient conditions remains unclear.
Social media footage depicted passengers exiting the inverted aircraft, shielding themselves from strong winds and snowfall.
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the accident. The incident occurred as Toronto grappled with the aftermath of consecutive winter storms. Over the weekend, the airport was blanketed with some 8.7 inches of snow, adding to previous snowfall from the preceding week.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the Peel Regional Police in Ontario are conducting investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The US National Transportation Safety Board has also announced that a team of investigators will assist in the inquiry.
The Association of Flight Attendants urged the public to refrain from speculating on the cause of the incident while investigations are underway.
This incident marks the fourth aviation accident in North America in less than a month. The most serious recent event involved a midair collision near Washington, DC, which resulted in 67 fatalities.
The incident also occurs amid ongoing discussions regarding staffing levels within the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
