Tow truck collided with China Southern Airline plane at LAX, 1,500 passengers grounded

A tow truck collided with a China Southern Airlines flight just before takeoff late Thursday night, resulting nearly 1,500 passengers grounded at Los Angeles International Airport.

The collision happened just before midnight on the tarmac between Terminal 4 and Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT).

Photo from the scene showed the tow truck collided with the China Southern Airbus 380 aircraft on a runway at the Airport. The damaged tug vehicle under the front of the plane.

"This is an extremely rare accident," Lingzhi He, China Southern Airlines North America managing director, told Xinhua on Friday. "Officials are still waiting for the inspection results now."

It was an outbound China Southern Flight CZ328 scheduled to fly to Guangzhou, China, carrying more than 400 passengers. None of the passengers were injured, and the tow truck driver sustained minor injuries according to the LAX.

Three flights, the China Southern Airlines flight as well as two American Airlines flights at Terminal 4, were canceled. Two other flights were delayed. About 1,500 passengers were affected by the late Thursday accident.

"Passengers deplaned by using portable stairs and were returned to TBIT, and were accommodated via re-scheduling refunds or hotel rooms," LAX spokesman Frederick Badlissi told City News Service. "While awaiting accommodations and rescheduling, passengers were provided bottled water and snacks." Endit