Delta: 19 out of 21 passengers injured in crash at Toronto airport released from hospital
Delta Airlines announced Tuesday morning the number of people injured during a crash involving an aircraft that flew out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Monday has increased to 21, up from 18 initially reported the day before.
According to the airline, out of those 21 injured passengers on flight DL4819 – operated through Endeavor Air – 19 have been released from the hospital. On Tuesday, officials said 19 were initially hospitalized, but two more went to a healthcare facility to receive treatment after that number was given.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Deborah Flint, the Toronto Pearson President and CEO, spoke, as well as some of the first responders. Delta and other transportation officials were not at the conference, which can be watched in full by using the video player at the bottom of this article.
Delta officials say its incident response team arrived at the airport on Monday evening. Members of Endeavor Air’s leadership team are also in Toronto.
There was no immediate word on the condition of the victims who were still hospitalized, or when they would be released, but officials said Tuesday the injuries ranged from minor to critical but not life-threatening, adding passengers had complained of back and head pain, nausea, vomiting and anxiety.
First responders and Flint were unable to provide details on the age range of those on board but confirmed of the 4 crew members and 76 passengers, 22 were Canadians.
The airline says Delta and Delta Connection flights have resumed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport; however, two Delta flights are operating with larger aircraft to allow for greater arrival and departure capacity.
Airport officials say the wrecked plane is expected to remain on the runway for 48 hours as investigators examine the aircraft. Due to this, passengers should check with their airlines and websites for the next several days, as the scene is affecting the airport’s traffic volume.
In addition, there is a waiver for customers traveling to Toronto’s airport from Feb. 17-20, and the ticket must be reissued on or before Feb. 23. CLICK HERE for additional information about the waiver. If the flight happens after that date, a fare difference may be added.
During Tuesday’s news conference, questions were raised about the weather and runway conditions as the plane attempted to land. Flint said she “looked forward” to sharing those details when they became available, stressing it wasn’t the time to have a theory or speculate on what caused the crash.
In the days leading up to the crash, Flint said the airport saw two snowstorms that left more than 20 inches of accumulated snow, which caused delays and backlogs. Officials wouldn’t confirm during Tuesday’s news conference if the runway was coated was snow or slush.