BURST
He grew up in Coteau-du-Lac and dreamt of flight. He died doing the job he loved.
Antoine Forest, 30, was one of two pilots killed when an Air Canada Express plane collided late Sunday with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
He and Mackenzie Gunther of Ontario were declared dead at the scene after the crash.
Antoine Forest: ‘You can leave with your head held high’
Cédric Forest, Antoine’s brother, paid tribute in a Facebook post.
“Have a safe flight, brother! Oh we’ve heard that phrase so many times, but this time it will be the last,” he wrote.
“You came and went in a whirlwind, always with new plans in mind. You’ve left us in a whirlwind again, too soon for us to say goodbye.
“I love you, brother. You can leave with your head held high.”
At 16, Forest began piloting bush planes seasonally for Air Saguenay before moving on to twin-engine aircraft, according to family members.
He trained at the Centre québécois de formation aéronautique and went on to work for Air Saguenay and ExactAir before joining Jazz Aviation in 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In 2021 and 2022, Forest also worked as an aerial detection pilot with the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) helping monitor wildfires across Quebec.
Steeve Noreau, director of the Centre québécois de formation aéronautique, said Forest stood out both as a student and a person.
“I remember Antoine as if it were yesterday,” he said in an email. “Not only was he a diligent and focused student, but he was a cheerful young man who lived life to the fullest. We will all miss him.”
Alexandre Circé, a friend and former colleague, described Forest to The Gazette as “by far the most genuine person I’ve ever known.”
He said he met Forest in 2015 while they were both training at the Centre québécois de formation aéronautique and that they went on to work together as colleagues at Air Saguenay.
“He was very interested in mechanics and how things work, so aviation suited him perfectly.”
Circé added: “I’m deeply affected by the news right now. … This is a tremendous loss for his family and loved ones, but also for anyone who might have crossed paths with him in the future.”
Coteau-du-Lac Mayor Andrée Brosseau said the loss is being felt across the community.
“Antoine was one of our own. In a community like ours, everyone knows someone who knew him,” she said. “His passing represents an immense loss for our entire community.”
Mackenzie Gunther: ‘He will be deeply missed’
Gunther, the first officer on the flight, graduated in 2023 from Seneca Polytechnic’s aviation technology program in Toronto. Flags at the college were lowered to half-mast in his honour.
“Seneca sends our deepest condolences to Mr. Gunther’s family and friends,” the school said in a statement . “He will be deeply missed.”
Originally from Peterborough, Ont., according to his Linkedin, Gunther had recently begun his career with Jazz Aviation. He previously worked as a ramp lead for Porter Airlines.
NTSB update
On Tuesday, investigators revealed the fire truck involved did not have a transponder, which is a device that allows air traffic controllers to track ground vehicles.
U.S. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said this potentially limited the tower’s ability to see it on the runway. Homendy added the agency will examine whether such equipment should be standard on airport rescue vehicles.
Cockpit recordings revealed the truck was told to stop seconds before the collision – including a final warning just moments before impact. It is unclear whether the firefighters heard the calls.
Still, Homendy cautioned against blaming a single failure. Major aviation accidents typically involve multiple breakdowns rather than one isolated error, she said.
In total, 72 passengers and four crew members were on board. In addition to the two pilots who were killed, more than 40 people were taken to hospital, most of whom were released within hours. Six remained hospitalized as of Tuesday, Air Canada said in a statement.
The aircraft, operated by Jazz Aviation, landed around 11:37 p.m. The injured included passengers, two firefighters in the truck and a flight attendant who suffered a fractured leg after being ejected from the aircraft.
The airport reopened Monday afternoon, though one of its two runways remained closed as investigators worked at the scene, leading to delays averaging nearly three hours, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In Montreal, flags flew at half-mast outside Air Canada headquarters on Tuesday in tribute to both pilots.
In Toronto, CN Tower dimmed its lights for five minutes at the top of every hour overnight.
Tap here for the latest updates on the aftermath of the crash at LaGuardia.