Pilots Killed in LaGuardia Plane Crash Identified as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther
A tragic aviation accident at LaGuardia Airport has claimed the lives of two young pilots, now identified as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther. The fatal crash occurred late Sunday night when an Air Canada aircraft collided with a fire truck on the runway.
According to officials, the incident happened around 23:40 local time, leaving 41 people injured and forcing the temporary shutdown of the busy New York airport until Monday afternoon. Emergency responders quickly transported the injured to nearby hospitals, while aviation authorities began an urgent investigation.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that both pilots were killed in the crash. FAA Administrator Bran Bedford described the loss as a devastating tragedy, noting that both men were at the beginning of promising aviation careers.
Antoine Forest, 30, hailed from Québec and began flying bush planes in 2018 before joining Air Canada in 2022. Family members described him as passionate and dedicated, having first taken to the skies at just 16 years old. Meanwhile, Mackenzie Gunther, a recent graduate of Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto, had only recently started his professional journey with the airline. The institution announced plans to lower flags to half-mast in his honor.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash, with analysis of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder expected to provide critical insights. Air traffic control audio reportedly captured a last-second warning to the fire truck moments before impact.
In a remarkable survival story, flight attendant Solange Tremblay survived the crash after being ejected from the aircraft while still strapped to her seat. She was later found alive with multiple fractures, highlighting both the severity of the crash and the resilience of survivors.
The aviation community continues to mourn the loss of two promising pilots as the investigation unfolds, with safety authorities focused on preventing similar tragedies in the future.