Plane Crash in Toronto: 80 People Survive Delta Air Lines Flight Incident

Image credits: Geoff Robins/AFP/Getty Images

A plane carrying 80 people crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, flipping upside down and leaving at least 18 people injured. The Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis skidded along the runway with flames visible and came to a halt upside down as firefighters came to the rescue. Survivors said they were suspended upside down in their seats and had to release themselves, dropping onto the ceiling before clambering out onto the snow-covered tarmac. Eighteen people were injured, but only a small number are thought to be seriously hurt, and investigators are looking into what caused the crash.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was operated by Delta's subsidiary Endeavor Air. Delta said the incident happened at about 14:15 ET (19:15 GMT) on Monday. Twenty-two passengers were Canadian nationals, and the rest were "multinational". The airport was closed after the incident, but flights into and out of Toronto Pearson resumed at about 17:00 local time. Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) said it was working to "gather information and assess the occurrence". Two runways will remain closed for several days for investigation, and passengers have been told to expect some delays. The investigation is ongoing, and the cause of the crash has not been determined.

Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken said "the runway was dry and there was no cross-wind conditions". That contradicted earlier reports of wind gusts of more than 64km/h (40mph) and a crosswind. Video footage shared on social media shows people clambering out of the overturned aircraft, with fire crews spraying it with foam. Passenger John Nelson told CNN that there was no indication of anything unusual before landing. "We skidded on our side, then flipped over on our back," he said, adding that "there was a big fire ball out the left side of the plane". Like Mr Nelson, Ashley Zook took immediately to social media to express her disbelief, filming herself saying: "I was just in a plane crash. Oh my God". The response from emergency personnel was credited with helping ensure no loss of life.

The crash is at least the fourth major aviation incident in North America in the past month. The worst was a deadly in-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter near Washington DC, which killed all 67 people on board. Earlier on Monday, the airport warned that "frigid temperatures and high winds were moving in". It said a "busy day" was expected, with airlines "catching up after this weekend's snowstorm". The safety of air travel is a top priority, and the investigation into the crash will aim to determine the cause and prevent similar incidents in the future. A massive snowstorm hit eastern Canada on Sunday, and strong winds and bone-chilling temperatures could still be felt in Toronto yesterday. Before the crash, dozens of departures and arrivals had been delayed.

Here is a list of key events and information related to the crash: * The plane crashed at approximately 14:15 ET (19:15 GMT) on Monday * 80 people were on board, including 76 passengers and 4 crew members * 18 people were injured, with 2 in critical condition * The plane was a 16-year-old CRJ900 aircraft, made by Canada's Bombardier company * The US Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are investigating the crash * Two runways at Toronto Pearson will remain closed for several days for investigation * Passengers have been told to expect some delays due to the incident. The investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available.