00:00I want to begin by echoing the words that have been shared before me and also by thanking our partners
00:05in city, state, and federal government who are here today.
00:09As has been shared, late last night, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada struck a Port
00:15Authority aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle on Runway 4 at LaGuardia Airport.
00:21Both pilots of the aircraft were killed in the crash, and I echo the words of the governor and those
00:26who spoke before in sending our deepest condolences to the families and to the many who are mourning their loss.
00:34I am grateful for the work of dedicated first responders, including the men and women from the NYPD, the FDNY,
00:41and NISOM, who arrived on the scene within minutes, treated injuries, and handled a chaotic scene with incredible professionalism and
00:49poise.
00:50I also want to commend those who were thrust into a frightening accident and reacted not only with composure, but
00:56by extending a hand to the person next to them, passengers who opened the emergency door and helped one another
01:02off the plane, people who kept one another calm.
01:05And I know that this crash has shaken New Yorkers across the five boroughs, whether they are traveling today or
01:11simply watching from home, especially since it's the first fatal crash at LaGuardia in more than 30 years.
01:17I want New Yorkers to know that the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of this accident and
01:24that we will not rest until the conclusion of that investigation.
01:26We have been coordinating closely with our partners across government since late last night, and we will continue to do
01:32so.
01:33Air Canada has set up a hotline for families and friends of the flight's passengers, and I encourage those who
01:38are worried about their loved ones to call.
01:40That number is 1-800-961-7099.
01:46While LaGuardia was closed since the accident until 2 p.m. today, it has since reopened.
01:51I want to thank the many New Yorkers and visitors who had their travel plans impacted for their patience and
01:56their understanding, as well as those who work here at LaGuardia and the Port Authority for how they have not
02:01only responded to this accident, but the work that they do each and every day.
02:05As we continue to learn information, we will share it with you.
02:08And in the meantime, let us keep those who died in our thoughts and continue to hope for a quick
02:14recovery for those who are injured.
02:16Again, I want to extend my deepest sympathies on behalf of the 44,000 men and women of the Federal
02:22Aviation Administration.
02:23We take our responsibilities quite seriously, managing the safety of the air traffic control system and the national airspace.
02:30So we're deeply, deeply moved by the tragedy of last night.
02:36I've been in contact with the leadership teams of both Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz to express our sympathies,
02:43as well as my peer at Transport Canada.
02:46And, of course, we are a supporting agency in the investigation now.
02:51The National Transportation Safety Board is running the investigation.
02:54So there are a few facts we're going to be able to share with you today.
02:59What I can share with you, of course, the weather conditions last night were moderate winds out of 050 at
03:07seven knots.
03:08We had broken ceilings at 9,000 feet.
03:11Visibility roughly four miles in raining conditions.
03:14So there was mist and fog here at the LaGuardia Airport last night.
03:20We had a situation with United Airlines aircraft that had experienced an aborted takeoff.
03:25This is the reason why the fire and rescue crew had been deployed.
03:31Of course, the Air Canada flight was arriving on runway four when the incident took place at the Delta intersection.
03:40Again, I want to extend my sympathies to the families of the two pilots.
03:44These were two young men at the start of their careers.
03:48So it's an absolute tragedy, you know, that we're sitting here, you know, with their loss.
03:55So my heart really goes out to the families for sure.
03:58But we are committed to a full, transparent investigation.
04:02We will support the NTSB in any way possible.
04:05And again, we look forward to being able to take concrete actions to ensure something like this will never happen
04:10again.
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04:19We'll see you next time.
04:21Bye.
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