The News

Monday, February 17, 2025

Plane with 80 people on board crashes on landing at Pearson airport, ends up on its roof

February 17, 2025 0

 

A total of 18 people were injured after a Delta Airlines plane crashed on the runway at Pearson International Airport on Monday afternoon.

The incident happened just before 2:15 p.m. and involved Endeavor Flight 4819 arriving from Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Images from the scene show the plane, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR, on its roof on the tarmac at Pearson.

In one audio recording reviewed by CP24, an air traffic control agent is heard saying that the aircraft is “upside down and burning.”

All arrivals and departures were shut down at Pearson for hours following the crash, forcing the diversion of hundreds of planes.

However, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority confirmed that flights in and out of the airport resumed at 5 p.m.

In a news conference on Monday night, Greater Toronto Airports CEO Deborah Flint called the response to the crash “textbook.”

“We are very grateful that there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries,” she said.

Do you have images of Delta Airlines crash at Pearson airport? Send them to torontonews@bellmedia.ca.

Key details:

  • Delta Airlines says that the flight was carrying a total of 80 people – 76 passengers and four crew.
  • 22 Canadians were on board the flight
  • Ornge initially said that three people, including a child, sustained critical injuries. At a subsequent update on Monday night, GTAA officials said that they were not aware of any critical injuries.
  • Two runways remain closed at the airport and airport officials are warning of further flight delays over the coming days.
  • The GTAA says it will provide an update sometime Tuesday

8:47 p.m.

Aviation expert John Cox told CP24 the CRJ-900 is a well-built airplane, despite it being launched in 2001 by Bombardier.

Data from the Aviation Safety Network shows zero fatalities from more than 100 accidents involving the aircraft since 2005.

“It was certified to high standards both in its structural strength and ability to get people out in a hurry. So, this was a well-built airplane experiencing a very traumatic event and the emergency evacuation design and certification worked exactly as it should have,” Cox said.

8:35 p.m.

Peel Regional Police Supt. Waheed Butt says they assisted the airport in securing the site, adding they will continue to provide security and offer any other assistance as needed.

8:22 p.m.

Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken told reporters that it took six fire engines from Mississauga Fire services, two district chiefs, and 18 paramedic units from Peel Region to handle the accident, on top of the help from airport staff.

“Upon arrival, my team conducted fire suppression, self evacuation was already taking place at this time. We believe all emergency response went as planned. We will however, be conducting a review.”

Aitken said it would be inappropriate to comment or speculate on the cause of the crash at this present time, given it remains under investigation by Transport Canada.

“What we can say is the runway was dry and there was no cross-wind conditions,” Aitken said.

The fire chief adds one other person has been brought to a local hospital, pushing the number of those injured to 18 people. Toronto Pearson says it will provide an update sometime tomorrow.

8:02 p.m.

Crash survivor John Nelson, who was in the 10th row of the plane, told CNN that there was “mass chaos” following the crash landing.

“Coming in, it was routine, but it was noticeable that the runways were kind of in a weird condition,” Nelson said. “When we hit, it was a super hard, hit the ground and the plane went sideways and I believe we skidded on our side and then flipped over on our back, where we ended up.”

After everyone disembarked the plane, Nelson said there was “another explosion,” though fire crews were quick to douse the flames.

“It was mass chaos, I was upside down, a lady next to me was upside down, we kind of let ourselves go and fell to hit the ceiling, which was [a] surreal feeling, and then everybody was just like, ‘Get out, get out, get out,’ we could smell jet fuel,” Nelson said.

The passenger tells the American broadcaster that it is “amazing we’re still here.”

7:50 p.m.

The last time Toronto Pearson saw a major crash was in Aug. 2, 2005, when Air France Flight 358 – carrying 309 passengers and crew – from Paris skidded off the runway and burst into flames amid stormy weather. Everyone onboard survived the crash.

7:39 p.m.

Data from Environment Canada reveals the airport was experiencing strong winds and blowing snow at the time of the crash, gusting from 51 to 65 kilometres per hour.

Audio recording from the tower at Toronto Pearson, reviewed by The Associated Press, reveals the Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR was cleared to land at 2:10 p.m. The tower had warned pilots of a possible air flow bump in the glide path as the plane started landing due to the preceding aircraft in front of it.

7:26 p.m.

In about 30 minutes, Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken is set to provide an update about the airplane crash.

7:18 p.m.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority confirmed that of the 76 passengers onboard the plane, 22 were Canadians and the others were “multinational.”

CEO Deborah Flint says 17 passengers were brought to local hospitals, adding the GTAA is unaware of any of those travellers having critical injuries.

“No airport CEO wants to have these type of press conferences, but this is exactly what our emergency, our operations and our federal our first responder partners are all practiced and trained for,” Flint said during a press conference on Monday night.

Two of the airport’s runways will be closed for the next several days, Flint says. She says that she anticipates operations to be impacted as a result, with the possibility of some flight delays.

“We will be sharing information periodically. For those traveling, continue to look at our website and be in touch with your respective carrier as well,” Flint said.

7:10 p.m.

Greater Toronto Airports Authority CEO Deborah Flint says that airport emergency workers operated a “textbook response” to today’s crash and “immediately halted” arrivals and departures. She says she is “very grateful that there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries” as a result of the crash.

7:00 p.m.

Aviation expert Phyl Durdey tells CTVNews.ca there are a myriad of factors at play that could have caused the airplane to flip onto its side, adding it may take some time to find out what really happened.

Judging by the windsock visible in video captured at the scene, Durdey says “there is a pretty strong crosswind.”

“We’d just have to see what the black boxes say,” Durdey said.

6:30 p.m.

Video circulating social media shows passengers from inside of the Delta aircraft scrambling to get out of the overturned plane, with what appears to be flight crew and airport staff assisting them.

6:20 p.m.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he is “extremely concerned” by the plane crash on Monday afternoon.

“My thoughts are with the passengers and crew, and all those working to respond to this awful situation. Wishing a rapid recovery to all injured,” Poilievre said in a social media post.

Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie also expressed her gratitude to everyone who responded to the accident, wishing everyone a “swift and full recovery.”

“I’m relieved to hear there are no casualties following the plane crash at Pearson airport today,” Crombie wrote on X.

An aircraft from Delta Airlines sits upside down on the tarmac at Toronto Pearson International airport on Monday February 17, 2024. Teresa Barbieri/The Canadian PressPearson International Airport firefighters work on an upside down Delta Air Lines plane, which was heading from Minneapolis to Toronto when it crashed on the runway, in Toronto, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Teresa Barbieri (Teresa Barbieri)

6:05 p.m.

Mayor Olivia Chow expressed her thanks to all first responders and airport staff for their swift action and commitment to keeping everyone involved safe.

“I’m relieved to learn that all passengers and crew are accounted for after today’s plane crash at Toronto Pearson,” Chow said in a post on X.

5:55 p.m.

Toronto Pearson says it will provide an update to reporters about the crash at 6:30 p.m.

5:50 p.m.

Delta Airlines has put out a statement confirming that 18 people with injuries have been transported to local hospitals.

“Our primary focus is taking care of those impacted,” the airline said in an updated statement. “The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto Pearson International Airport,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said. “I want to express my thanks to the many Delta and Endeavor team members and the first responders on site.”

Passengers are led away as Pearson International Airport firefighters work on a Delta Air Lines plane, which was heading from Minneapolis to Toronto when it crashed on the runway, in a Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, still image made from handout video footage published to social media. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-1 Minute Morning,

5:30 p.m.

All flights at Toronto Pearson have now resumed as of 5 p.m., the airport says.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority says it is currently supporting families and passengers at arrivals.

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Lots of characters returned for ‘SNL’s’ 50th anniversary. We wish these beloved classics were among them

February 17, 2025 0

 

Dana Carvey as Church Lady during the "Church Chat" Cold Open on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
CNN
 — 

The “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” was a walk down memory lane for viewers of the long-running NBC sketch show. Classic characters, like Mike Myers as Linda Richman, were mixed in with newer hit sketches like Marcello Hernández’s suave Domingo, who introduced us to his “hot brothers,” for a rousing good time.

While it would have been impossible to cover all the bases (we miss you Chris Kattan/Mr. Peepers!), there are some inarguably classic sketches and characters that would have been great to see represented during the celebration.

A nostalgic list of some of them follows:

“Wayne’s World”
Myers and Dana Carvey reunited for a “Wayne’s World” sketch for SNL’s 40th anniversary, so maybe they didn’t want to repeat the move just ten years later. That said, doing so would have really been a “party on” moment.

“Target Lady”
Kristen Wiig is known for many things, but her “Target Lady” reigns as one of her most popular “SNL” characters. Though the anniversary special was jam-packed, we certainly missed Wiig’s Target Lady saying super weird stuff to customers at checkout.

“The Californians”
Sure, we got this recent fun commercial for Volkswagen featuring the famed “Californians” trio of Wiig, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen, but it sadly was not part of Sunday’s show. We’re chalking this up to Hader not being present for the special. (A representative for Hader previously told CNN the actor had a schedule conflict.)

“Church Lady”
Dana Carvey was present for most of this “SNL” season playing former US President Joe Biden but he did not show up on the air on Sunday’s anniversary special, except for a brief moment in a photo during a Black Jeopardy sketch. This means we didn’t get to see his sassy, politically-charged Church Lady. It would have been so very “special.”

“Whiskers R We”
Another classic was Wiig’s collaboration with Kate McKinnon for their “Whiskers R We” characters. Barbarba DeDrew and Furonica – “like Veronica, but how a cat would say it” – were the pun-loving feline fans who wanted to help get some cats adopted and were also in love with each other. Perhaps bringing live animals out during the anniversary special would’ve been too chaotic so, we get it.

“NPR’s Delicious Dish”
This felt like the perfect opportunity to bring on Margaret Jo McCullin and Terry Rialto, played by Ana Gastyer and Molly Shannon, respectively, for another gleefully boring episode of “NPR’s Delicious Dish.” Considering Alec Baldwin was also in the house, we’re disappointed that he, as Pete Schweddy, didn’t bring everyone a box of his Schweddy Balls.

“Spartan Cheerleaders”
“SNL” fan-favorite Cheri Oteri appeared to be absent on Sunday, but she was missed. How fun would it have been to see her and Will Ferrell reprise their famed Spartan Cheerleader characters Craig and Arianna? We’re betting they’d be proud to show off some new moves.

“Gumby”
While we were thrilled to see Eddie Murphy back on Studio 8H, we were a little saddened that he didn’t take things way back and do an updated rendition of his take on Gumby. Sure, we last saw the rich piece of gum just a few years ago, but there’s plenty of new 

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Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard Honor Sinèad O'Connor on SNL 50th Special with 'Nothing Compares 2 U' Cover

February 17, 2025 0

 

brittany howard and miley cyrus
Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard. Photo: 

NBC

Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard teamed up once again for Saturday Night Live.

On Sunday, Feb. 16 during SNL50: The Anniversary Special, the singers performed an emotional duet of the late Sinèad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U." Cyrus and Howard previously sang "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen during the homecoming concert on Friday, Feb. 14.

The soulful 1985 song was originally written by Prince and was part of O'Connor's 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got. O'Connor, who died in 2023, is part of the sketch show's history, appearing on Saturday Night Live in 1992 as the musical guest.

Instead of singing one of her own songs, O'Connor opted for an a cappella version of Bob Marley's "War" and asked the camera operators to slowly zoom in on her face while she sang.

brittany howard and miley cyrus
Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard.

At the end of the song, she looked into the camera and said, "Fight the real enemy." She then held up a picture of Pope John Paul II and tore it apart on live television as a response to the Catholic Church's alleged cover-up of sexual abuse of children.

Her performance became infamous in SNL's history and the part of her performance where she ripped up the pope's pictures wasn't shown in the episode's reruns.

Speaking to PEOPLE in 2021, O'Connor said that she was "well aware there would be" backlash. "I understood it because we joke in Ireland or in Europe that Americans, they don't think anything happened until it happened to them. So I totally understood. I didn't blame anyone."

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She wrote in her 2021 memoir Rememberings that she didn't regret her actions on the sketch show.

"A lot of people say or think that tearing up the pope's photo derailed my career. That's not how I feel about it," she wrote. "I feel that having a number-one record derailed my career and my tearing the photo put me back on the right track.”

Singer Sinead O'Connor rips up a picture of Pope John Paul II October 3, 1992 on the TV show "Saturday Night Live".
Sinèad O'Connor in 1992. 

Yvonne Hemsey/Getty

In the 2025 documentary Ladies and Gentleman...50 Years of SNL Music, Lorne Michaels spoke about O'Connor's actions. "There was a part of me that admired the bravery of what she'd done and also the absolute sincerity of it," he said.

SNL50: The Anniversary Special is airing live on NBC and streaming onPeacock.

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