A Deadly Collision at LaGuardia Airport, and Trump Postpones Strait of Hormuz Deadline

New York Times
by Tracy Mumford, Will Jarvis, Margaret Kadifa, Ian Stewart and Paulina Villegas
March 23, 2026
2 views
3 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

A passenger plane and military helicopter collided at LaGuardia Airport, killing multiple people and exposing gaps in airspace safety protocols.

How This Affects You

If you fly from or through LaGuardia, this incident highlights potential coordination failures in one of the nation's busiest airports that could affect flight safety and operations.

AI Summary

A passenger plane and a military helicopter collided at LaGuardia Airport, resulting in fatalities and raising questions about airspace coordination at one of the nation's busiest airports. The incident occurred as President Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran regarding nuclear negotiations and regional tensions. The crash represents a rare but catastrophic failure in airport safety protocols designed to prevent such collisions in controlled airspace. Meanwhile, a separate story examines the growing market for meteorite hunting, where enthusiasts and professionals search for space rocks that can command significant prices from collectors and researchers. The convergence of these stories reflects both infrastructure vulnerabilities and emerging economic opportunities tied to space exploration.

Source Coverage Map

17 of 43 tracked sources covered this story

40% coverage
Did Not Cover (26)
ICIJ97AP Top News96ProPublica95Bellingcat95Reuters World95+21 more

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

Trump mulls risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to open strait
National Security

Trump mulls risky Kharg Island takeover to force Iran to open strait

<p>The Trump administration is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island to pressure Iran to reopen the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/19/strait-hormuz-coalition-allies-statement-uk" target="_blank">Strait of Hormuz</a>, four sources with knowledge of the issue tell Axios.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> President Trump can't end the war, at least on his terms, until he breaks <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/13/iran-war-mines-strait-of-hormuz" target="_blank">Iran's chokehold</a> on shipping through the strait. In the meantime, global <a href="https://www.axios.com/energy-climate/oil-companies" target="_blank">energy</a> prices are surging.</p><hr><ul><li>But an operation to take over Kharg Island, which sits 15 miles offshore and processes 90% of Iran's crude oil exports, could put U.S. troops more directly in the line of fire.</li><li>Thus, such an operation would only be launched after the U.S. military further degrades Iran's military capa...

AxiosMar 20
US targets mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid disruption of oil traffic
National Security

US targets mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid disruption of oil traffic

Pentagon zeroing in on mine-laying vessels that are helping Iran keep a stranglehold on Strait of Hormuz, military leaders said, as markets feel pain from its closure.

ABC NewsMar 20
Trump makes a detour to Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis during Iran war and airport turmoil - AP News
Politics

Trump makes a detour to Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis during Iran war and airport turmoil - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxOS0gxd08tWklXWERnTGV0Y2I2djlHYTdNQjhkbFhxNEpiOU1CUHJjT3N4NFR4c005eUoyb0tVLWZPSWR2SDY4eXE0MXR2NXJGNnlaNTdxLVBMWWN5bVRhbGRIdkkzU1M4QTZUOGMzRWpBdjdoa0E5X0d1Wm1jeUZGSTNQWUFnRHk5OVhOSXZ6a3p5RVczb0JfQw?oc=5" target="_blank">Trump heads to Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis, a detour during Iran war and airport turmoil</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 23
Oil retreats as US and allies look to boost supply, unchoke Strait of Hormuz - Reuters
Finance

Oil retreats as US and allies look to boost supply, unchoke Strait of Hormuz - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisAFBVV95cUxNd2Rpc2pia3d3NWVCUWNYTGo0b281N0RpbEx1MHVNR0JRbERGZnFsVGQxbHV6ZElVQ1dDNDhmRzJPVDNFWUJoLXVPT3VPZVh0eVBUOVNyZWtSV2NLeHZRaFJmQ003OGo1bU5Sb3pWY3VYUWx3a09ma01KbnBkMzdZYU11VDJ5TkJGSzhobGc5RFY0LWVrZFR3cENXWERlTU1wTU1YNVZsSFU4clBOVzc2UQ?oc=5" target="_blank">Oil falls as US and allies look to boost supply, unchoke Strait of Hormuz</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

ReutersMar 20
Trump says he's disappointed in NATO and that leaving is "something we should think about"
Politics

Trump says he's disappointed in NATO and that leaving is "something we should think about"

President Trump said Tuesday that he's "disappointed in NATO" as he pushes for the alliance to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. CBS News White House reporter Olivia Rinaldi has more.

CBS NewsMar 17
Trump erects statue of Christopher Columbus in White House grounds
Politics

Trump erects statue of Christopher Columbus in White House grounds

<p>Monument made from shattered pieces of original statue tossed into Baltimore’s inner harbor by protesters in 2020</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/mar/23/new-york-laguardia-airport-plane-vehicle-crash-air-canada-updates">US politics – live updates</a></p></li></ul><p>A statue of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/13/christopher-columbus-was-spanish-and-jewish-documentary-reveals">Christopher Columbus</a> has been installed in the grounds of the White House in the latest attempt by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a> to position the controversial explorer as a foundational hero of the US.</p><p>The president had the 13ft statue, which weighs one ton, placed outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, on Pennsylvania Avenue. It is a replica of a monument to Columbus that was torn down and <a href="https://interactive.guim.co.uk/atoms/2021/05/floyd-one-year/assets/v/1621678642262/202007...

The Guardian US NewsMar 23
Read Next
US withdrawal has handed Beijing a velvet veto
Global

US withdrawal has handed Beijing a velvet veto

The administration should ensure the State Department and New York team have the expertise and freedom to engage — and only then seek re-election.

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources