Two pilots were killed in a collision between a plane and a fire truck at a New York airport. The accident occurred on runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport. According to authorities, the pilot and co-pilot of the Air Canada plane, which was flying from Montreal, were killed. 32 of the 41 passengers and crew members taken to the hospital have already been discharged. LaGuardia Airport will remain closed at least until 2:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT). The air traffic controller who made the error that led to the collision said over the radio, "I messed up." State and city authorities expressed regret over the incident and said they are monitoring the situation. "I tried to contact them," the controller lamented, insisting he "screwed up" even though the pilot tried to reassure him, saying he did "the best he could." Authorities are investigating the causes of the accident. According to another audio recording, the controller authorized the fire truck to cross the runway to service another aircraft that had reported a strange smell before landing.
