The pilots killed in Sunday’s collision between a plane and a fire truck on a runway in New York were two young, ambitious Canadian men that had long dreamed of becoming pilots.
Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forest were operating the Air Canada jet that was landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday when it collided with a fire truck. Officials still haven’t identified the two men publicly, but a family member who spoke to The Associated Press and a Canadian college that one of the men attended separately confirmed their identities.
About 40 of the roughly 70 passengers and crew members on the regional jet from Montreal, and two people from the fire truck, were taken to hospitals, some with serious injuries. Most were released by Monday morning, authorities said.
“These were two young men at the start of their careers,” FAA Administrator Brian Bedford told reporters Monday. “It’s an absolute tragedy that we’re sitting here with their loss.”
An investigation is underway into the cause. Federal officials said that a runway warning system failed to sound an alarm moments before the collision, and are looking into the role of the air traffic controllers during a late-night emergency involving another plane. The crash occurred during a messy time at U.S. airports because of a partial government shutdown.
Antoine Forest's great aunt identified him as Antoine Forest, emphasizing his lifelong passion for flying. His community mourns his loss deeply, with the mayor of Coteau-du-Lac calling it an immense loss for the community. Forest’s brother and girlfriend expressed their sorrow through heartfelt messages on social media.
Mackenzie Gunther recently graduated from Seneca Polytechnic and was embarking on his career in aviation. The school has shown its grief by lowering flags in his honor and expressed condolences to his family and friends.
The incident has sparked conversations about safety protocols and the pilots involved, with passengers crediting their quick actions for preventing an even greater tragedy.
Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forest were operating the Air Canada jet that was landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday when it collided with a fire truck. Officials still haven’t identified the two men publicly, but a family member who spoke to The Associated Press and a Canadian college that one of the men attended separately confirmed their identities.
About 40 of the roughly 70 passengers and crew members on the regional jet from Montreal, and two people from the fire truck, were taken to hospitals, some with serious injuries. Most were released by Monday morning, authorities said.
“These were two young men at the start of their careers,” FAA Administrator Brian Bedford told reporters Monday. “It’s an absolute tragedy that we’re sitting here with their loss.”
An investigation is underway into the cause. Federal officials said that a runway warning system failed to sound an alarm moments before the collision, and are looking into the role of the air traffic controllers during a late-night emergency involving another plane. The crash occurred during a messy time at U.S. airports because of a partial government shutdown.
Antoine Forest's great aunt identified him as Antoine Forest, emphasizing his lifelong passion for flying. His community mourns his loss deeply, with the mayor of Coteau-du-Lac calling it an immense loss for the community. Forest’s brother and girlfriend expressed their sorrow through heartfelt messages on social media.
Mackenzie Gunther recently graduated from Seneca Polytechnic and was embarking on his career in aviation. The school has shown its grief by lowering flags in his honor and expressed condolences to his family and friends.
The incident has sparked conversations about safety protocols and the pilots involved, with passengers crediting their quick actions for preventing an even greater tragedy.
