Tributes paid to Air Canada pilots who 'saved passengers' lives' during horror crash - as CCTV shows moment of collision
Passengers say they are “forever indebted” to the pilots' quick instincts which saved their lives when their plane collided with a fire truck on a runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport.
Tributes have been paid to hero Air Canada pilots who witnesses say saved passengers' lives during a horror collision in New York - as shocking new footage shows the moment the plane crashed.
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Pilot Antoine Forest, 30, and co-pilot Mackenzie Gunther were killed after a passenger plane collided with a fire truck on a runway at New York's LaGuardia Airport in the early hours of Monday morning.
Following confirmation of two deaths from the crash, Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia said a further 41 passengers and crew were transported to local hospitals.
One passenger, Rebecca Liquori, told CNN she is “forever indebted” to the pilots' quick reflexes as they attempted to bring the plane to a halt.
“I think that their quick action and their bravery is the reason why I’m able to go home and hug my kids and get to experience having joy with them, because when I was on the plane I didn’t think that I would ever get to do that again,” she told The Times.
Clément Lelièvre, a French national, said he felt the pilots brake “extremely hard” as the plane landed on the runway at around 11.45pm. He said this move from the pilots likely prevented further deaths.
“I don't know the circumstances, but I think he kind of saved our lives because he must have had incredible reflexes,” Mr Lelièvre told The Canadian Press.
Paying tribute to the hero pilots, Federal Aviation Administrator Brian Bedford said: “These were two young men at the start of their careers.
“It's an absolute tragedy that we're sitting here with their loss.”
Mr Forest, originally from Coteau-du-Lac in Quebec, had been flying since the age of 16. Jeannette Gagnier, his great aunt, told The Toronto Star: "He was always taking courses and flying… He never stopped.”
Mr Gunther graduated from the Honours Bachelor of Aviation Technology program at Seneca Polytechnic in Canada in 2023.
Seneca said in a tribute to the pilot: “Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors. He will be deeply missed.
“Seneca mourns the loss of alumnus Mackenzie Gunther in the aviation accident at LaGuardia Airport in New York yesterday.
“Mr. Gunther graduated from the Honours Bachelor of Aviation Technology (FPR) program in 2023. Through the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program, he joined Jazz Aviation immediately after graduation and began his professional flying career. He was the First Officer on the flight, operating as Air Canada Express, from Montreal to New York.
“Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends, and to his former colleagues and professors. He will be deeply missed.“
To honour the memory of Mr. Gunther, flags at Seneca’s campuses will be lowered to half-mast on Tuesday, March 24.
“This is tragic news for our community.“
Shocking CCTV of the crash shows the aircraft moving down the runway as a fire engine pulled out into its path. The aircraft seemingly jumped in the air as it collided with the vehicle before flipping it over.
The nose of the CRJ-900 passenger jet was crushed upon impact, proving fatal for the pilot and co-pilot.
A female flight attendant - Solange Trembley from Quebec - was hurled 300m through the front of the destroyed aircraft while still buckled into her seat.
Her daughter told TVA News it was a “complete miracle” she survived.
Ms Liquori said she saw passengers with bruises on their faces and bloodied heads as they managed to leave the plane.
“We all worked together. We leant on each other… There was a lot of camaraderie amongst the survivors, we were comforting each other.,” she told The Times.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said a Bombardier CRJ-900 twin-jet aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, was involved in the collision. The plane - a smaller model CRJ-900 - reportedly had 76 people onboard, including four crew members, Jazz Aviation said in a statement.
Shocking audio from the moments before the deadly incident has also been released by NBC New York.
The fire truck had been given permission to move onto the runway due to an issue with another plane.
But air traffic control quickly realised the truck was in the path of the ill-fated plane.
“Truck One, stop, stop, stop!” an air traffic controller can be heard saying,
Addressing the plane, the controller added: “JAZZ 646, I see you collided with the vehicle. Just hold position. I know you can't move. Vehicles are responding to you now.”
The controller then says they tried to reach out to the pilots of the crashed plane, but heard nothing back.I tried to reach out to them. We were dealing with an emergency, and I messed up.”
A pilot in a different plane then responds, telling the controller they “did everything they could.”