At Toronto's Pearson International Airport, a Delta Airlines flight from Minneapolis, United States, operated by Endeavor Air, was involved in an air accident. Flight 4819 was about to land when the plane overturned, leaving 15 passengers injured, including a minor, a man in his 60s, and a woman in her 40s with severe injuries. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
John Cox, CEO of the aviation safety consulting firm Safety Operating Systems, commented that it is unusual to witness an accident of this kind. He mentioned that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the causes of the incident. Cox explained that the aircraft involved, a CRJ900, is a safe aircraft and that pilots are trained to handle adverse situations.
The accident occurred around 2:15 PM local time and caused a suspension of flights at the airport for approximately two and a half hours. Images of the incident show the plane overturned on the snowy runway, as emergency teams worked at the scene. Passengers were successfully evacuated and transported to local hospitals for medical attention.
Air ambulance Ornge reported that one pediatric patient was taken to Toronto's SickKids hospital, while two adults with serious injuries were transferred to other medical centers in the city. Airport authorities confirmed that all 76 passengers and four crew members aboard the flight were located and that the incident is under investigation to clarify what happened.
Deborah Flint, CEO of the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, expressed relief at the absence of fatalities and the relatively minor nature of the injuries sustained. Meanwhile, authorities are expected to continue the investigations to determine the exact causes of the aircraft overturning and to ensure the safety of passengers on future flights.
