The Toronto Star revealed on Monday that Antoine Forest was one of the pilots killed in the Air Canada plane crash at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday.
Forest was among two pilots who died when Air Canada Express Flight 8646 collided with a fire truck while landing late Sunday night.
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members on board. More than 40 people were injured, according to Reuters.
Forest was a first officer with Jazz Aviation, according to his Facebook profile.
Read more: Antoine Forest: 11 key things to know about pilot killed in LaGuardia crash
Who was Antoine Forest?
Forest, originally from Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, had been working as a first officer at Jazz Aviation for just over three years. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford said both pilots were “young men at the start of their careers.”
According to Antoine Forest's Facebook profile, Forest is survived by his mother, Manon Turpin, and his brother, Cédric Forest. He also mentioned his grandmother, Jeannette Gagnier
{{/usCountry}}According to Antoine Forest's Facebook profile, Forest is survived by his mother, Manon Turpin, and his brother, Cédric Forest. He also mentioned his grandmother, Jeannette Gagnier
{{/usCountry}}Forest had been in a relationship with his partner, Kahina Gagnon, since 2022, according to his Facebook profile.
Jazz Aviation President Doug Clarke paid tribute to both pilots of Jazz Aviation. He said in a statement, “Today is an incredibly difficult day for our airline, our employees, and most importantly, the families and loved ones of those affected by the accident involving flight 8646.”
He further advances support and condolences to the families of Antoine Forest and the other pilot who remains to be identified.
Read more: LaGuardia Airport: How a flight attendant miraculously survived the tragic crash
Crash details and ongoing investigation
The fatal incident occurred when the CRJ-900 aircraft, arriving from Montreal, struck a fire truck that had been cleared to cross the runway while the plane was simultaneously cleared to land.
Following the collision, security camera footage of the two cars colliding was made public. An emergency vehicle with flashing lights passed in front of the aeroplane as it drove along the runway. The fire truck then seemed to topple over as the aircraft's nose crashed into the car.
The crash resulted in significant damage to the aircraft’s cockpit, killing both pilots instantly. Despite the impact, passengers credited the pilots’ actions in the final moments with preventing an even greater tragedy.
Passenger Joe Capio told The Sun, “I feel terrible about the pilots, and I think they are honestly heroes.”