Both Pilots Identified In Deadly LaGuardia Plane Crash

Both Pilots Identified In Deadly LaGuardia Plane Crash

Two pilots killed in fatal collision between plane and fire truck at  LaGuardia Airport

UPDATE: Both pilots killed in the plane crash at LaGuardia Airport have been identified.

Mackenzie Gunther has been identified as the co-pilot of the Air Canada plane by Radio Canada.

The pilot, Antoine Forest, who was identified Monday afternoon, lived outside Montreal and joined Jazz Aviation in 2022. His death was confirmed to the Toronto Star and French Canadian outlet TVA. The second pilot killed in the wreck has not been publicly identified.

Air Canada pilot killed in LaGuardia fire truck crash had been flying since  he was 16, family say | The Independent

“Today is a very somber day at Air Canada,” the airline’s president, Michael Rousseau, said in a video statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to the entire Jazz community and their families.”

Air Canada Flight 8646 from Montreal to New York, operated by Jazz Aviation, had just landed at LaGuardia and was slowing down on the runway when it collided with an airport firetruck, officials said. Terrifying video of the crash was captured on surveillance cameras.

The emergency truck was responding to a mysterious odor on another aircraft on the ground, according to records from LaGuardia’s air traffic control tower. A controller had cleared it to cross the runway before attempting to reverse the order moments later.

“Stop, stop, stop, Truck 1. Stop, stop, stop,” the controller is heard saying.

About 20 minutes after the collision, a conversation about the wreck continues, and the controller admitted an error.

Antoine Forest: 11 key things to know about Jazz Aviation pilot killed in  LaGuardia airport crash | World News

“We were dealing with an emergency earlier,” he said. “I messed up.”

The jet was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, according to Air Canada. About 40 of those on board were hospitalized after the collision.

LaGuardia was closed for more than 14 hours after the crash, as authorities shut down both runways. The airport reopened for travel around 2 p.m. Monday, after hundreds of flights were canceled.

Forest grew up in Coteau-du-Lac, southwest of Montreal, and began flying when he was 16 years old, his great aunt, Jeannette Gagnier, told the Toronto Star. He started his career flying bush planes for Air Saguenay and later moved to ExactAir before joining Jazz Aviation in 2022. His LinkedIn page lists him as the First Officer at Jazz.

You may also like...