A Delta Air Lines jet flipped on its roof while landing Monday at Toronto’s Pearson Airport, but all 80 people on board survived and those hurt had relatively minor injuries, the airport’s chief executive said.
Snow blown by winds gusting to 65km/h (40mph) swirled when the flight from Minneapolis carrying 76 passengers and four crew attempted to land at around 2.15pm. Communications between the tower and pilot were normal on approach and it was not clear what went so drastically wrong when the plane touched down.
Canadian authorities held two brief news conferences but provided no details on the crash. Video posted to social media only showed the aftermath with the Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR overturned, the fuselage seemingly intact and firefighters dousing what was left of the fire as passengers climbed out and walked across the tarmac.
“We are very grateful there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries,” Deborah Flint, CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, told reporters.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement that “the hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected”.
