The two pilots killed when an Air Canada flight crashed into a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport have been identified as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther. Local reports indicate that Forest, aged 30 and originally from Québec, and Gunther, a Seneca Polytechnic graduate from Toronto, were beginning their careers when tragedy struck.
The incident, which occurred shortly before midnight local time, injured 41 people and temporarily halted airport operations. FAA administrator Bran Bedford expressed deep sorrow over their loss, stressing that they were young pilots at the start of their careers.
Forest had trained to fly bush planes and was employed by Jazz Aviation since December 2022 after honing his skills in Saguenay. His relatives remembered him fondly, while Gunther, honored by his alma mater with lowered flags, was considered a bright star among his peers.
As the investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding the crash, air traffic recordings revealed that an operator warned the fire truck seconds before the crash occurred. The affected crew and passengers are receiving support while the aviation community mourns the loss of these promising pilots.
The incident, which occurred shortly before midnight local time, injured 41 people and temporarily halted airport operations. FAA administrator Bran Bedford expressed deep sorrow over their loss, stressing that they were young pilots at the start of their careers.
Forest had trained to fly bush planes and was employed by Jazz Aviation since December 2022 after honing his skills in Saguenay. His relatives remembered him fondly, while Gunther, honored by his alma mater with lowered flags, was considered a bright star among his peers.
As the investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding the crash, air traffic recordings revealed that an operator warned the fire truck seconds before the crash occurred. The affected crew and passengers are receiving support while the aviation community mourns the loss of these promising pilots.
