One of the Air Canada pilots killed in plane crash at LaGuardia Airport has been identified

One of the two pilots killed in the air accident at LaGuardia Airport, in New York, was identified as Antoine Forest, a 30-year-old Quebec native who had built his career in aviation with an early and steady vocation, according to a report in the Toronto Star.

The incident occurred Sunday night, when a plane operated by Air Canada Express collided on the runway with a Port Authority fire truck.

The vehicle, authorities said, was en route to assist another aircraft in difficulty, while the plane had been cleared to land, in what is being investigated as a possible runway coordination failure.

Forest, who had served as first officer for Jazz Aviation since 2022, was one of only two fatalities in the crash. The other pilot has not yet been publicly identified.

As family members told theToronto Star, his passion for flying began at a very young age. He had flown his first aircraft at the age of 16 and, since then, he never stopped learning and training. He even went so far as to perfect his English as a teenager with the goal of expanding his career opportunities in aviation.

"He was always taking courses and flying. He never stopped," a close family member told the newspaper, which also noted his dedication and enthusiasm for his chosen career.

In addition to the two fatalities, the crash also left dozens injured. About 40 of the approximately 70 passengers and crew members were taken to hospitals, mostly with minor injuries. Most were released within hours of the accident.

From the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), its head Bryan Bedford called what happened an "absolute tragedy," stressing that both pilots were at an early stage of their careers.

The Air Line Pilots Association also expressed its regret, describing the loss as "profound" and stressing the crewmembers' commitment to the safety of their passengers.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the runway crash, as questions grow about coordination protocols between aircraft and emergency vehicles at one of the nation's busiest airports.