Delta and Air Canada Planes Collide on LAX Tarmac, Officials Say

LOS ANGELES — A Delta Air Lines jet collided with an Air Canada aircraft on the ground at Los Angeles International Airport Tuesday morning, officials said.

Air Canada said its plane had arrived from Toronto and was struck by a departing Delta aircraft headed to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The collision left part of the Delta jet’s wing embedded in the Air Canada aircraft’s stabilizer. The damaged section was the winglet, the curved structure at the end of the wing, which broke off on impact.

A passenger aboard the Delta flight told Eyewitness News that the plane was leaving its gate and taxiing toward the runway when it appeared the Air Canada aircraft moved into its path.

“While taxiing at Los Angeles International Airport, a Delta aircraft made contact with an Air Canada aircraft,” a Delta spokesperson said. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize to our customers for the experience and delay in their travels.”

Both aircraft were removed from service after the incident.

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Despite the collision, flights and other airport operations at LAX continued normally, according to an airport spokesperson.

The Delta aircraft had 275 passengers and 15 crew members aboard, a Delta representative said. Officials had not immediately confirmed whether the Air Canada plane was carrying passengers when the aircraft made contact.

No injuries were reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified of the collision.