Delta crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport evokes memories of Air France miracle two decades ago

Toronto Pearson International Airport, the site of Monday’s Delta flight crash in which remarkably nobody was killed, was the scene of another “miracle” nearly two decades ago.Air France Flight 358 crashed at the Canadian airport on Aug.2, 2005 after trying to land during heavy rain and lightning.All 297 passengers and 12 crew members on the Air France plane survived the crash, an outcome described by then-Canadian Minister of Transport Jean Lapierre as a “miracle.”The Airbus A3430-313 originated in Charles de Gaulle in Paris, France, and was scheduled to land at Toronto Pearson around 4 p.m.

before encountering severe weather-related turbulence during its descent.The plane landed about 3,800 feet down the 9,000-foot Runway 24L – and was unable to stop in time.“The most difficult [part] was when the plane was rolling…we thought we would die,” passenger Oliver Dubois had recalled, according to CBC.The plane skidded 200 feet off the runway and into the Etobicoke Creek ravine before bursting into flames.Evacuation of all souls on board took less than two minutes, which played a key role in no casualties, NBC News had reported.Ten passengers and two crew members did sustain critical injuries but the outcome was seen as nothing short of miraculous.“I would say this is a miracle,” Lapierre said.Monday’s crash evoked memories of the 2005 incident as Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 flipped over while trying to land on a runway at the snowy Canadian airport.The flight, operated by the airline’s subsidiary Endeavor Air, took off from Minneapolis at 11:47 a.m.

and crashed at about 2:15 p.m.Harrowing videos showed passengers dangling upside-down on the plane and firefighters dodging flames during rescue attempts.All 80 passengers and crew members on board made it off the mangled Bombardier CRJ-900LR plane.18 people were injured but none are believed to be serious, Toronto’s Pearson Airport Fire Chief Todd Aitken said at a press conference on Monda...