The identity of one of the pilots who lost their lives in a plane crash at a major US airport has been disclosed.
Antoine Forest tragically passed away following a collision between an Air Canada jet, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, and a firefighting vehicle during landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday evening. Mr. Forest was identified by Canadian media outlet TVA Nouvelles, stating he hailed from Coteau-du-Lac, a small town in southwestern Quebec. The second pilot’s identity is yet to be made public.
Surviving the incident was flight attendant Solange Tremblay, who was ejected over 100 meters from the plane while strapped into her seat during the crash, as reported by her daughter Sarah Lépine to TVA Nouvelles.
Ms. Tremblay was seated behind the pilots upon landing and was subsequently hospitalized for a broken leg and multiple fractures, with surgery scheduled, according to her daughter.
Commenting on the miraculous survival, Ms. Lépine expressed, “It’s a complete miracle. At the moment of impact, her seat was thrown over a hundred meters from the plane. She was discovered still secured in her seat. She had a guardian angel looking out for her. The situation could have been far worse.”
Audio recordings from LiveATC revealed that following the crash at New York’s third-busiest airport, an air traffic controller remarked, “That wasn’t good to watch.” Another individual responded, “Yeah, I know I was here. I tried to reach out. We were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.”
The collision occurred as the firefighting vehicle was authorized by an air traffic controller to attend to a United Airlines plane reporting an onboard smell. Moments before the impact, the controller urgently instructed the firefighting vehicle to halt, but the warning came too late.
Approximately 40 passengers and crew members were transported to hospitals, some sustaining severe injuries. By Monday morning, most had been discharged, according to authorities.
Visual evidence displayed significant damage to the jet’s nose, with cables and debris hanging from the cockpit. Two Port Authority employees in the firefighting vehicle sustained injuries deemed non-life-threatening, as stated by Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her sentiments, stating, “Heartbreaking news out of LaGuardia this morning. Two pilots lost their lives, and numerous individuals were injured in this tragic event. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected. The airport will remain closed until 2:00 PM. We will continue to provide updates as they come in.”
The National Transportation Safety Board is spearheading the investigation into the crash.
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