Two Young Canadian Pilots Killed in LaGuardia Airport Crash Identified

The two pilots who died when their Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport have been identified as Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forrest, both young aviators at the start of their careers. About 40 of the 70 people aboard the Montreal flight were hospitalized, with most released by Monday. Federal investigators are examining why runway warning systems failed to alert controllers before the deadly collision.

Two young Canadian aviators who lost their lives when their passenger jet struck a fire truck during landing at LaGuardia Airport have been identified as ambitious pilots who had pursued their flying dreams since childhood.

The victims were Mackenzie Gunther and Antoine Forrest, who were at the controls of the Air Canada aircraft arriving from Montreal when the fatal collision occurred on Sunday. While authorities have not yet released official identification, family members speaking to The Associated Press and an educational institution confirmed who the men were.

Approximately 40 individuals among the 70 passengers and crew aboard the regional aircraft, plus two fire truck occupants, required hospital treatment following the crash, with several suffering severe injuries. Medical facilities discharged most patients by Monday morning, according to officials.

“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.”

Federal authorities are investigating what caused the accident. Officials revealed Tuesday that runway alert systems did not activate before the collision, and they are examining air traffic control procedures and how controllers managed simultaneous operations during a late-night emergency involving a separate aircraft. The incident happened amid widespread airport disruptions caused by a partial federal government shutdown.

Family members have shared details about both aviators.

Jeannette Gagnier, who served as a grandmother figure to Antoine Forest, confirmed his identity to the AP. She said Forest had harbored pilot aspirations from an early age. His professional profile indicated five years of experience with two different airlines.

Forest’s social media indicated he hailed from Coteau-du-Lac, a small community in southwestern Quebec. The town’s mayor, Andrée Brosseau, expressed sympathy for Forest’s family in a Tuesday statement translated from French.

“Antoine was one of our own. In a community like ours, everyone knows someone who knew him. His passing represents an immense loss for our entire community,” Brosseau wrote.

Forest’s brother, Cédric, posted a childhood photograph of the siblings on social media. “Have a safe flight, my brother! Oh yes, we’ve often heard that phrase, but this time will be the last,” he wrote on Facebook. “You were coming and going in the wind, always full of new projects in mind. Gone again in the wind too soon to say goodbye I love you brother you can leave with your head held high.”

A woman identifying herself as Forest’s girlfriend, also a pilot, shared a couple’s photo on her Facebook page Tuesday with the caption “the love of my life.”

Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto announced Tuesday that Mackenzie Gunther completed their Honors Bachelor of Aviation Technology degree program in 2023.

Following graduation, Gunther immediately entered the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program, Air Canada’s pilot training initiative. The aircraft involved in Tuesday’s crash was a Jazz Aviation plane operating under Air Canada’s banner.

“Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors. He will be deeply missed,” the institution stated.

The college lowered its flags to half-mast Tuesday in Gunther’s memory.

Observers have called it remarkable that casualties weren’t more extensive. Passenger Clément Lelièvre praised Gunther and Forest’s “incredible reflexes” for preserving his life and others aboard. The pilots applied maximum braking power immediately upon touchdown, he reported.