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Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto: latest updates
What the Toronto Pearson Airport CEO said: a summary
Here’s a quick recap of what Pearson Airport chief Deborah Flint told her brief press conference a few minutes ago:
- Flint confirmed that there were no fatalities in the crash
- She said 17 people had been taken to hospital with injuries
- Contrary to previous reports, Flint said nobody was critically hurt
- Flint said two runways will remain closed as the crash is investigated
- She praised a "textbook response" from the flight crew and first responders
After a number of aviation incidents and crashes in recent weeks, my colleague Roddy Cons takes a look at when in the past we have witnessed such a spate of accidents.
Cole Burston / REUTERS
Toronto Pearson Airport CEO Deborah Flint speaks to the media in the wake of today's Delta Air Lines crash.
(Photo: REUTERS/Cole Burston)
Watch airport chief's press briefing as it happened
You can watch Deborah Flint's news conference in full here:
Delta flight passenger speaks of "mass chaos" after crash
John Nelson, one of the passengers who filmed footage of the plane after the crash, has told CNN that as the flight came in to land in Toronto, “I did notice that the winds were super gusty, the snow had kind of blown over the runways.
“So, coming in, it was routine, but it was noticeable that the runways were in a weird condition.”
Nelson added: “We skidded on our side and flipped over own our back. There was a big fireball out of the left side of the plane. When we got finished I was upside down, everybody else was as well.
“Shortly after I got done filming the video, there was another explosion.”
Adding that it was “mass chaos” in the immediate aftermath of the crash, he said: “It’s amazing that we’re still here.”
Runways closed as crash probed - Toronto airport chief
Flint, who didn’t take any questions in her news conference, also told reporters that two runways will remain closed for now, as authorities investigate the crash.
She said travellers should continue to expect “some operational impact and some delays” over the coming days.
Flint also paid tribute to the efforts of the "trained professionals" involved in the response to the accident. She said the lack of fatalities was "in due part" thanks to their "textbook response" to the situation.
Toronto airport chief says no fatalities, nobody critically injured
Pearson Airport’s president and CEO, Deborah Flint, has just addressed the media.
Flint confirmed that there have been no fatalities, and said the number of passengers taken to hospital with injuries was 17.
While it has been reported that three injured passengers were critically hurt, Flint contradicted this. “At this time, we do not know of any of those passengers having critical injuries,” she told reporters.
Flint added: “We are very grateful that there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries.”
"We were upside down, hanging like bats"
Pete Koukov, one of the passengers on the Delta flight that crashed earlier today at Toronto Pearson Airport, has told CNN that there was “no indication” that anything was wrong until the plane hit the runway.
“We didn’t really know anything was the matter until the second we hit the ground,” Koukov said. “There was no real indication of anything, and then we were sideways and then we were upside down, hanging like bats.”
He added: “It all happened pretty fast. We stopped, the plane was upside down obviously, I was able to kind of unbuckle, just fall and push myself to the ground.
“Some people were kind of having and needed some help getting down. Everyone was, for the most part, fine.”
Here, again, is that footage of passengers being evacuated from Delta Air Lines flight 4819, in the aftermath of its crash landing in Toronto.
Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto: what we know so far
Ahead of the upcoming media briefing at Pearson Airport, this is a summary of what we now know:
- A Delta flight operated by Endeavor Air flipped over on arrival at Toronto Pearson Airport today
- The plane was arriving in Toronto from the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The accident took place at around 2:15pm ET, according to Delta
- All 80 people on board (76 passengers, four crew members) were evacuated
- There have been no fatalities, but Delta says 18 people have been hospitalized with injuries
- According to Ontario’s air ambulance service, three of those hurt are critically injured
- One of those critically injured is a young child
Pearson Airport press conference: watch live
We're waiting for officials at Pearson Airport to brief the media on the Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto today. Deborah Flint, the airport's president and CEO, is due to speak.
You can watch the media briefing live in this YouTube video:
When will there be a report on today's crash in Toronto?
CNN’s travel expert, Richard Quest, says we can expect an initial report into today’s Toronto plane crash within 30 days.
A reminder that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada is to lead the investigation into what happened, and will be assisted by the U.S.’s National Transportation Safety Board.
Quest also noted that the lack of fatalities in today’s crash is a demonstration of the advanced systems in place in the aviation industry, encompassing evacuation training and robust airplane design.
“The fact that this was a survivable accident, where everyone survived, bluntly, showed the system worked,” he said.
Canada opposition leader "extremely concerned"
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada's opposition Conservative Party, has said he's "extremely concerned" about the Delta Air Lines crash today.
"My thoughts are with the passengers and crew, and all those working to respond to this awful situation," Poilievre said. "Wishing a rapid recovery to all injured."
Arlyn McAdorey / REUTERS
First responders work at the Delta Air Lines plane crash site at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
(Photo: REUTERS/Arlyn McAdorey)
“The aircraft’s upside down and burning"
Audio has surfaced of the reaction of the pilots of a medevac helicopter that was flying near to the scene of the crash.
“The aircraft’s upside down and burning,” the helicopter crew told the Pearson Airport control tower.
Airport chief set to speak to media about Delta crash
A reminder that Deborah Flint, the president and CEO of Toronto Pearson Airport, is to brief the media shortly.
More video of crash aftermath
New footage, again apparently filmed by a passenger, has emerged of the aftermath of today's crash in Toronto.
The video appears to show passengers being evacuated from the Bombardier jet.
Toronto mayor "relieved" that all on board accounted for
Toronto's mayor, Olivia Chow, has posted the following message on X:
What time today did the Delta crash happen at Pearson Airport?
Having earlier said that the accident happened at around 3:30pm ET, Delta Air Lines revised that time in its latest statement, to around 2:15pm ET.
Delta cancels remaining Toronto flights this evening
In the statement it just released, Delta Air Lines also confirmed that it has cancelled its flights to and from Toronto Pearson Airport "for the remainder of the evening".
18 injuries in Delta crash, airline says
Delta Air Lines has issued a statement confirming that there have been no fatalities, and revealing that 18 passengers have been hospitalized with injuries. That's up from the previously reported total of 15 people injured.
“The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said. “I want to express my thanks to the many Delta and Endeavor team members and the first responders on site.”
What to do if your flight from Toronto is delayed or cancelled
Pearson Airport has said that flights have now resumed, but passengers can nonetheless expect ongoing, major disruptions.
AS USA's Greg Heilman has the lowdown on what travellers should do if their flight is affected.
Toronto Airport crash: what we know so far
Here’s a 6pm ET summary of what we know so far about the Delta Air Lines crash Toronto Pearson Airport:
- A Delta flight operated by Endeavor Air flipped over on arrival at Toronto Pearson Airport today
- The plane was arriving in Toronto from the U.S. city of Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that all 80 people on board (76 passengers, four crew members) were evacuated
- There appear to be no fatalities as things stand, but Peel Region Paramedics says 15 people have been hospitalized with injuries
- According to Ontario’s air ambulance service, three of those hurt are critically injured; they include a child
Airport chief to speak to media
Toronto Pearson Airport's president and CEO, Deborah Flint, is to give a press conference at 6:30pm ET.
Flights resume at Pearson Airport
Toronto Pearson says flights are now back underway at the airport. In a post on X, it said:
"Departures and arrivals have resumed at Toronto Pearson as of 5 p.m. All 76 passengers and four crew from Delta flight 4819 were accounted for. A number of passengers were taken to local hospitals. GTAA staff are supporting families of passengers at arrivals."
More footage apparently filmed by a passenger has emerged. In this video, a woman recorded the aftermath of the accident, telling the camera: "My plane crashed, I’m upside down."
CTVNews footage of crash site
The Canadian media outlet CTVNews has this footage of the aftermath of today's Delta Air Lines crash:
AS USA's Roddy Cons has looked at who was on board the Delta planethat flipped upside down at Pearson Airport.
Flight attendants the "pivotal piece" in speedy evacuations
Joshua Schirard, a commercial airline pilot, has stressed to CNN that flight attendants undergo “intense” practice sessions to ensure they are prepared for evacuations such as today’s at Toronto Pearson Airport.
“These people go through weeks and weeks and weeks of intense training - and I can tell you it’s not about how to take your [food and drinks] order,” Schirard said.
“They are the lynchpin, they are the pivotal piece of getting passengers evacuated.”
Schirard added that flight attendants are trained to aim to get all on board evacuated within 90 seconds.
How strong were the winds when Delta plane crashed?
According to NBC News, winds at the time of the Delta crash were generally at 20 to 30mph, with some gusts reaching as high as 40mph.
In case you missed it: my colleague Roddy Cons hasthe lowdown on the Bombardier CRJ-900, the craft involved in the accident in Toronto.
Cole Burston / REUTERS
An emergency responder works around the Delta Air Lines plane after it flipped over at Toronto Pearson International Airport
(Photo: REUTERS/Cole Burston)
Snowy and windy conditions in Toronto
In addition to the snowy conditions in Toronto, it is thought that strong winds may have had a role in the accident.
Delta Air Lines crash in Toronto: headlines
Shortly before 5:30pm ET, this is what we know:
- A Delta Air Lines flight, operated by Endeavor Air, flipped over on arrival at Toronto Pearson Airport today
- The plane was arriving from Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that all 80 people on board (76 passengers, four crew members) were evacuated
- There are no reported fatalities, but Peel Region Paramedics says 15 people have been taken to hospital with injuries
- Ontario air ambulance service says three of those hurt are critically injured, including a child
Arlyn McAdorey / REUTERS
First responders work at the Delta Air Lines plane crash site at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
(Photo: REUTERS/Arlyn McAdorey)
TSB Canada to "assess occurrence"
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has said it will "gather information and assess the occurrence" in the wake of the Delta crash.
NTSB to aid Canada agency in investigation
The U.S.'s National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says it will be assisting the Transportation Safety Board of Canada in the investigation into today's accident at Pearson Airport.
"The NTSB is leading a team of U.S. investigators to assist the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (@TSBCanada) with their investigation of today’s accident of a Delta Air Lines Bombardier CRJ900 at Toronto Pearson International Airport," the agency said.
"Per international protocols under the International Civil Aviation Organization's Annex 13, any information about the investigation will be released by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada."
Pearson accepting traffic once more
Per the flight tracking website FlightRadar, Toronto Pearson Airport is now accepting traffic again.
FlightRadar said a short while ago that nearly 250 flights have been cancelled at the airport today.
My colleague Roddy Cons has put together this report on the craft involved in today's accident in Toronto.
Summary of what we know so far about the Delta Air Lines crash
Here, at just before 5pm ET, is an updated summary of what we know so far about the Delta Air Lines crash landing at Toronto Pearson Aiport:
- The Delta Air Lines flight was operated by Endeavor Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta
- The plane was arriving in Toronto from Minneapolis, Minnesota
- All 80 people on board were evacuated, the FAA says
- There are no reported fatalities, but Peel Region Paramedics says 15 people have been taken to hospital with injuries
- Ontario air ambulance service says three of those hurt are critically injured; a child is reported to be among those in critical condition
What has Delta said about the Toronto airport crash?
Delta Airlines has posted the following statement on its website:
"Delta Connection flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air using a CRJ900 aircraft, was involved in a single-aircraft accident at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) around 3:30p ET on Monday. The flight originated from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).
"Initial reports were that there are no fatalities. Several customers with injuries were transported to area hospitals. Our primary focus is taking care of those impacted.
"The flight was carrying a total of 80 people – 76 passengers and four crew.
"YYZ was closed shortly after the incident occurred. Delta is working to connect with customers traveling from, to or through YYZ who should also monitor the status of their flight via the Fly Delta app.
"Endeavor Air is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines headquartered in Minneapolis."
Minnesota governor "grateful to first responders"
The governor of Minnesota, the U.S. state from which the Delta plane took off, has posted on X in the wake of the accident.
"I’m in touch with Delta after a flight taking off from MSP crash landed in Toronto this afternoon," Tim Walz said. "Grateful to the first responders and professionals on the scene."
Number of injured revised up to 15
Per CTVNews, Peel Paramedics says 12 people have been taken to hospital with mild injuries. With three others reported as critically injured, that takes the total toll of those hurt in the crash to 15.
Ontario premier "relieved there are no casualties"
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, has posted the following message on social media:
Delta plane flips over in Toronto: what we know
Here's a reminder of what we know so far:
- A Delta Airlines flight, operated by Endeavor Air, has flipped over on landing at Toronto Pearson Airport
- The craft was arriving from Minneapolis, Minnesota
- All 80 people on board were evacuated, the FAA says
- There are no fatalities as things stand, with up to eight people injured, per local paramedics
- Ontario air ambulance service says three people have been critically injured
Heavy snowfall in Toronto in recent days
The accident in Toronto happened amid extremely snowy conditions in the Canadian city.
CBC has quoted the City of Toronto as saying that up to 23 centimeters of snow fell in the city over the weekend.
More images of the crashed Delta plane
The journalist Kellie Meyer has shared these photos of the Delta plane, which she says were sent to her by a friend who was on board.
"Our plane crashed. It’s upside down"
The passenger who filmed the footage of the flipped-over Delta Airlines plane has been named as John Nelson, who originally posted the video on the social-media platform Facebook.
"We just landed," he can be heard saying as he films the aircraft. "Our plane crashed. It’s upside down."
Three critically injured, including child
CBC has cited Ontario’s air ambulance service, Ornge Air Ambulance, as saying that three people are being treated for critical injures.
Per CBC, the three critically injured people are a man in his 60s, a woman in her 40s and a child.
A reminder that paramedics had previously said that up to eight people have been injured in the accident.
Airport closed after Delta plane flips over
The Canadian news outlet CTVNews has been told by staff at Toronto Pearson that all arrivals and departures at the airport have been shut down in the wake of the Delta plane's crash landing.
Canada transport minister: "All 80 passengers onboard are accounted for"
Canada's transportation minister, Anita Anand, has said the following on X:
"I'm closely following the serious incident at the Pearson Airport involving Delta Airlines flight 4819 from Minneapolis. All 80 passengers onboard are accounted for. Updates will follow."
Delta crash follows fatal D.C. air accident
The incident in Toronto comes just under three weeks after a plane operated by another U.S. carrier, American Airlines, suffered a mid-air collision with a military helicopter as it approached Washington D.C.‘s Ronald Reagan International Airport.
All 64 passengers and crew members on board the plane were killed, along with the three people on the helicopter.
Photos of crashed Delta plane
The Canadian news outlet CP24 has released further photos of the crashed Delta jet.
FAA confirms all on board envacuated
The U.S.'s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released the following statement, confirming that all 80 individuals on board were evacuated from the aircraft.
"Delta Air Lines Flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, crashed while landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada around 2:45 p.m. local time on Monday, February 17. All 80 people on board were evacuated.
"The CRJ-900 departed Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates."
How did the plane flip over?
Speaking on CNN, the news network’s travel expert, Richard Quest, said it was evident that the plane had rolled in the moments after touching down in Toronto.
As the craft's fuselage has remained relatively intact, it could not have been upside down at the point of impact, Quest noted.
Footage of the plane shows that it lost both its wings in the accident.
How many people were injured in the Delta crash?
There appear to have been no fatalities in the incident.
The Canadian media outlet CBC has cited Peel Region paramedics as saying they are dealing with eight patients, but the extent of their injuries has not been confirmed.
Footage apparently filmed by a passenger showed the Delta airplane lying upside down on the airport tarmac, with fire crews seemingly spraying the craft with a fire-retardant foam.
"All passengers and crew are accounted for"
“Toronto Pearson is aware of an incident upon landing involving a Delta Airlines plane arriving from Minneapolis. Emergency teams are responding,” Toronto Pearson Airport said in a social-media post. "All passengers and crew are accounted for.”
Delta plane flips over at Toronto Pearson Airport: live
A Delta Airlines plane travelling from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has flipped upside down on arrival at Toronto Pearson Airport.