Five hurt, driver charged after fuel truck strikes plane at Pearson airport
By The Canadian Press
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Five people were taken to hospital with minor injuries and a fuel truck driver was charged after a truck hit a plane on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson airport early Friday morning.
Authorities say the Air Canada Jazz flight with 51 people on board had left for Sudbury, Ont., but turned around because of bad weather and was taxiing back to the gate when it was struck at 1:36 a.m.
A spokeswoman for Peel Regional Police says the truck hit the plane three times, and five people – the pilot, co-pilot and three passengers – were treated for minor injuries.
Const. Iryna Yashnyk says the man driving the fuel truck was not injured and faces a charge of dangerous driving.
A spokeswoman for Jazz Aviation, which operated the flight under an agreement with Air Canada, says one of the injured passengers remained in hospital Friday morning.
A spokeswoman for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson, says the incident had no impact on operations.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says in a statement that it’s deploying a team of investigators to the scene.
