Passenger aircraft collides with fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in the United States...

The pilot and co-pilot of a passenger aircraft have been killed after a collision involving a plane and a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in the United States, authorities and US media reported.

CBI News understands that the incident occurred late Sunday when a plane carrying dozens of passengers collided with a firefighting truck on a runway, forcing an immediate suspension of flight operations.

US media outlets, including CNN and NBC, reported that the pilot and co-pilot died in the crash, while ABC confirmed that 13 others including 11 passengers and two first responders were taken to hospital with injuries.

The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, struck the emergency vehicle around 11:40 p.m. local time as the truck was responding to another incident on the airfield, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

A preliminary passenger manifest showed 76 people were on board, including four crew members.

The Port Authority said emergency response teams were immediately activated, adding that the airport was closed to allow rescue operations and a full investigation.

“The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation,” officials said.

The National Transportation Safety Board has deployed a “go team” to investigate the cause of the collision.

Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft was landing when it struck the fire truck crossing the runway.

Authorities warned of widespread disruptions, including flight cancellations and traffic delays around the airport area, urging travellers to use alternative routes.

LaGuardia Airport, located in Queens, is one of New York’s busiest airports, handling tens of millions of passengers annually and having recently undergone major redevelopment.

Officials said poor weather and ongoing staffing challenges had already affected airport operations before the crash.