Two air controllers left their posts early before the fatal March accident at LaGuardia airport in New York, which involved a collision between a plane and a fire truck. According to information from the Wall Street Journal, the two controllers ended their shifts an hour earlier than planned, leaving the control tower understaffed at the time of the accident, which resulted in the death of two pilots.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking steps to terminate the two employees involved. The agency stated it is "committed to holding the employees accountable" for the identified failures.
Air traffic at the airport was twice as heavy as normal at the time of the collision, as highlighted by the newspaper. The causes of the accident are still being investigated by investigators, and a preliminary report on the case has not yet been completed.
