Antoine Forest, a 30-year-old individual hailing from Quebec, was identified as one of the pilots who tragically lost their lives in the LaGuardia airport crash on Sunday night, as per information from Radio-Canada sources. Forest, originally from Coteau-du-Lac, Que., situated southwest of Montreal and approximately 20 kilometers east of the Ontario border, served as the captain, with Mackenzie Gunther as the first officer, as reported by Radio-Canada sources.
In a poignant message shared on Facebook, Antoine’s brother, Cédric Forest, posted a photograph showcasing the two siblings during their childhood, bidding a heartfelt farewell to his brother. Forest’s LinkedIn profile reveals his employment at Jazz Aviation since December 2022.
Furthermore, Gunther, the first officer on the ill-fated flight, graduated from Seneca College’s aviation technology program in 2023, joining Jazz Aviation immediately post-graduation. The college expressed its condolences, stating that flags would be flown at half-mast to honor Gunther’s memory.
The Air Canada Express CRJ-900 aircraft collided with a fire truck during landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport, resulting in the tragic demise of the pilot and first officer. The plane, operated by Air Canada’s partner Jazz Aviation, was en route from Montreal to New York with 72 passengers and four crew members, with 41 individuals being transported to the hospital following the incident.
Clément Lelièvre, a passenger on the flight, recounted the ordeal, highlighting the pilot’s quick actions in braking, potentially mitigating the severity of the impact. Passenger accounts described a chaotic scene inside the cabin, with many sustaining injuries but displaying resilience in assisting each other during the evacuation process.
Investigations into the crash are underway by the National Transportation Safety Board, with support from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The recovery of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder marks a significant step in understanding the events leading to the tragic accident.