The union representing American air traffic controllers has admitted to accusations that two employees left their shift early before an Air Canada regional jet crashed at LaGuardia Airport in March, resulting in the deaths of two pilots.

Reports from U.S. media suggest that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is considering terminating the employment of the two controllers who allegedly ended their shift about an hour early, leaving two colleagues at the LaGuardia tower without support.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association confirmed these allegations, initially disclosed by the Wall Street Journal, in a written statement, stating that they are actively discussing the matter with FAA leadership.

The FAA has not directly addressed the accusations but emphasized its commitment to holding employees accountable without compromising the safety or efficiency of the National Airspace System.

The incident occurred on March 22 when an Air Canada Express plane was cleared to land just before a fire truck was authorized to cross the active runway, leading to a collision that claimed the lives of two Canadian pilots and injured over 40 individuals.

Video footage captured the air traffic controller attempting to warn the truck to stop multiple times within seconds before the collision occurred, with no response from the truck driver.

A preliminary report from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board in April highlighted system failures and communication issues as contributing factors to the accident.

Experts have commended the pilots, Antoine Forest from Quebec and MacKenzie Gunther from Ontario, who were flying for Air Canada Express carrier Jazz Aviation, for their swift actions in braking, which likely prevented further casualties.