U.S. aviation investigators have arrived in New York City to determine how an Air Canada flight from Montreal crash-landed at LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of passengers.
The accident occurred late Sunday when the aircraft, carrying 72 passengers and four crew members, touched down on the runway and collided with an airport firefighting truck moments later.
Air traffic control recordings indicate that the fire vehicle had been responding to a separate emergency when a controller cleared it to cross part of the runway. Moments later, the controller urgently attempted to halt the truck before the collision occurred.
Several media outlets have identified one of the pilots killed in the crash as Antoine Forest of Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, a community southwest of Montreal. The second pilot has been identified by Toronto’s Seneca Polytechnic as Mackenzie Gunther, a 2023 graduate of the school’s aviation program.
Passengers described chaotic scenes inside the aircraft as it attempted to stop. Some said they felt the plane’s brakes slam suddenly, sending passengers forward into the seats in front of them.
A flight attendant was reportedly thrown onto the tarmac while still strapped into her seat during the violent impact.
Emergency crews rushed injured passengers to nearby hospitals, with many later released after treatment. Authorities continue to monitor several individuals who remain hospitalized.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash, with Canada’s Transportation Safety Board also participating due to the aircraft’s Canadian registration.
Investigators are expected to examine air traffic control communications, runway operations, and the sequence of events leading to the collision.
The tragedy has also renewed scrutiny over mounting pressures on air traffic controllers in the United States, where staffing shortages and heavy traffic volumes have raised ongoing safety concerns across major airports.
