All Passengers and Crew Survive Plane Crash at Toronto Pearson Airport

All 80 people on board a Delta Air Lines flight that crashed and overturned while landing at Toronto Pearson Airport have survived, according to the airport’s chief executive, Deborah Flint of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.

"We are very grateful there was no loss of life and only relatively minor injuries," Flint said.

Emergency services confirmed that one child and two adults sustained critical injuries. Images on social media show the CRJ900 aircraft upside down on the snow-covered tarmac, missing at least one wing.

Details of the Crash

The crash involved Delta Air Lines Flight 4819, operated by its subsidiary Endeavor Air, arriving from Minneapolis. According to Toronto Pearson Airport, the aircraft had 76 passengers and four crew members on board when the incident occurred around 14:15 ET (19:15 GMT) on Monday.

A total of 18 passengers were transported to the hospital. Ontario air ambulance service Ornge deployed three air ambulances and two land ambulances to assist. Among those critically injured were:

A child

A man in his 60s

A woman in her 40s

Emergency Response and Investigation

Flint praised the "textbook" response of emergency personnel, crediting their quick actions for preventing any loss of life.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has launched an investigation, with two runways expected to remain closed for several days. Passengers have been warned to expect delays as the investigation continues.

Despite earlier reports of wind gusts over 40 mph (64 km/h) and crosswinds, Toronto Pearson fire chief Todd Aitken stated that runway conditions were dry and there were no crosswinds at the time of the crash.

Passenger Experiences and Airport Disruptions

Videos shared online show passengers escaping the overturned aircraft as fire crews sprayed it with foam. One passenger described the chaotic scene in a video, saying:

"We're in Toronto, we just landed. Our plane crashed, it's upside down. Most people appear to be OK."

The airport temporarily suspended operations after the crash but resumed flights around 17:00 local time. However, the incident caused widespread delays and cancellations, leaving some travelers stranded for days.

Passengers James and Andrea Turner, who were scheduled to board the crashed flight, described how customs and security areas were evacuated, leading to overcrowding in the departures hall.

Weather Conditions and Recent Aviation Incidents

Toronto Pearson Airport had been dealing with weather-related delays due to recent snowstorms, which left 30-50 cm (11.8-19.6 inches) of snow across Ontario. Light snow was falling at the time of the crash, with airport officials warning of frigid temperatures and high winds earlier that day.

The crash is the fourth significant aviation incident in North America within the past month. Other incidents include a mid-air collision near Washington DC’s Ronald Reagan airport, which killed 67 people.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash while ensuring passenger safety during ongoing winter weather conditions.