Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther Identified as Air Canada Pilots Killed in LaGuardia Airport Crash With Fire Truck

New York — Two Air Canada pilots have been identified after a deadly runway collision at LaGuardia Airport involving a regional jet and an airport fire truck, an incident that left multiple people injured and shut down one of the nation’s busiest airports.

Authorities confirmed that Antoine Forest, 30, of Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, and Mackenzie Gunther were killed when Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with a Port Authority fire truck while landing Sunday night.

The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation on behalf of Air Canada Express, had arrived from Montreal carrying 72 passengers and four crew members when the crash occurred.

Federal investigators said the jet struck the emergency vehicle on the runway during landing, resulting in catastrophic damage to the aircraft’s forward section and the deaths of both pilots.

Dozens of passengers, crew members, and first responders were injured. At least 41 individuals were transported to area hospitals, with several still receiving treatment.

According to early information, the fire truck had been dispatched to respond to another aircraft reporting a possible onboard odor at the time of the collision. Officials are now working to determine how both the aircraft and the emergency vehicle were cleared onto the same runway.

Air traffic control audio captured the tense moments leading up to the crash. Controllers can be heard urgently attempting to stop the vehicle, repeatedly calling out, “Stop, stop, stop… Truck 1, stop,” as the situation rapidly escalated.

In the aftermath, one controller acknowledged the severity of the incident, saying, “We were dealing with an emergency and I messed up,” as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

The crash prompted a ground stop at LaGuardia Airport, halting all flights for hours and leading to more than 500 cancellations. Operations were disrupted for nearly 14 hours as investigators and emergency responders worked at the scene.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, along with Canadian transportation authorities, have launched a full investigation into the collision.

Family members and colleagues are remembering the pilots as young professionals at the start of promising aviation careers. Forest had been flying since his teenage years and joined Jazz Aviation in 2022. Gunther graduated from Seneca Polytechnic’s aviation program in 2023 and began flying shortly thereafter.

“These were two young men at the start of their careers, so it’s an absolute tragedy,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

Air Canada and Jazz Aviation both issued statements expressing condolences to the families of the victims and confirming they are cooperating fully with investigators.

The incident has raised serious questions about runway safety, coordination protocols, and communication during emergency situations at major airports.

The investigation remains ongoing as officials work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the deadly collision.