Officials confirmed that all 80 people aboard a plane that crashed and overturned while landing in Toronto survived. The Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis skidded down the runway with visible flames before coming to a stop upside down, prompting a swift response from firefighters.
Passengers described being suspended upside down in their seats and having to release themselves, dropping onto the ceiling before escaping onto the snowy tarmac. Eighteen people sustained injuries, though only a few are considered serious. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash.
The aircraft, a 16-year-old CRJ900 built by Canada’s Bombardier, carried 76 passengers and four crew members.
During an evening briefing, Deborah Flint of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority praised emergency responders for their “textbook” actions, crediting them with preventing fatalities. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the plane was operated by Delta’s subsidiary, Endeavor Air. Delta stated the incident occurred at approximately 14:15 ET (19:15 GMT) on Monday.
Among the passengers, 22 were Canadian nationals, while the rest came from various other countries, Flint noted. The crash led to the temporary closure of Toronto Pearson Airport, though flights resumed by 17:00 local time. Canada’s Transportation Safety Board is investigating, with two runways expected to remain closed for several days.
Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken reported that the runway was dry with no significant crosswinds, contradicting earlier reports of gusts exceeding 64 km/h (40 mph). Video footage shared online showed passengers escaping the overturned plane as fire crews doused it with foam.
Survivors recounted the terrifying experience, with passenger John Nelson telling CNN that everything seemed normal before landing. “We skidded on our side, then flipped over on our back,” he said, describing a “big fireball” on the plane’s left side. Another passenger, Ashley Zook, posted a video in shock, exclaiming, “I was just in a plane crash. Oh my God.”
Among the injured, a child, a man in his 60s, and a woman in her 40s were reported to have the most serious conditions, according to Ontario air ambulance service Ornge. The crash caused significant flight delays and cancellations, leaving some travelers stranded in Toronto for days.
The accident occurred amid ongoing weather-related disruptions at the airport, with recent snowstorms bringing 30-50 cm (11.8-19.6 inches) of snowfall to the city. While light snow was falling at the time of the crash, earlier warnings had predicted frigid temperatures and strong winds.
This incident marks at least the fourth major aviation accident in North America in the past month, including a fatal mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., that claimed the lives of all 67 people on board.
