iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
A Delta Airlines flight crashed while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, February 17, flipping upside down on the snowy runway. As a result, two runways at the airport remain closed for investigation, according to CEO Deborah Flint, as reported by CNN.
Flint confirmed that after the crash, all arrivals and departures from the airport’s three remaining runways were temporarily halted, but by 5 p.m. local time, these runways were reopened. However, the two affected runways will remain closed for the investigation, which is expected to continue “rest of tonight and into the next several days,” Flint added.
The crash resulted in 17 passengers sustaining injuries. Of the 76 passengers on board, 22 were Canadian, with the rest from various other countries. Delta initially reported 18 injured passengers, though no fatalities were confirmed.
In a statement on X, Delta said, “Delta Connection flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air using a CRJ-900 aircraft, was involved in a single-aircraft accident at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) at around 2:15 p.m. ET on Monday. The flight originated from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)”
Delta further stated that 18 passengers were transported to nearby hospitals and emphasized that the priority was to care for those affected. They also activated a Passenger Inquiry Center to assist families and loved ones, offering separate contact numbers for those in Canada and the U.S.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed his sympathy, saying, “The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport. I want to express my thanks to the many Delta and Endeavor team members and the first responders on site. We are working to confirm the details and will share the most current information on http://news.delta.com as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, please take care and stay safe.”
The flight carried a total of 80 people, including 76 passengers and 4 crew members.
(Photo courtesy: x.com/ErrolWebber)
