American Passengers Credit Canadian Pilots for Saving Lives in LaGuardia Crash
American passengers from the ill-fated Air Canada Express jet that crashed at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Sunday are publicly expressing their gratitude to the Canadian pilots, crediting them with saving dozens of lives through their swift actions during the emergency.
Passenger Accounts of the Terrifying Incident
The crash occurred after passengers aboard a United Airlines flight reported feeling ill due to a mysterious odor, prompting the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to dispatch a rescue truck to assist. While the landing was described as rough, passengers initially believed they were safe until the plane collided with the emergency vehicle.
"It was like a grinding sound. Then, a couple seconds after that, you just felt the collision," passenger Rebecca Liquori, a registered nurse, told NBC News. "It was like the loudest boom I've ever heard."
Liquori described the panic that followed: "We didn't know what was going on — if the plane was going to combust. Everybody was scared. Everybody thought they were going to die."
Heroic Actions of the Pilots
Despite the cockpit being torn off in the collision, which tragically killed pilots Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther, passengers credit their last-second actions with preventing greater loss of life.
"I wouldn't be here had it not been for the pilot acting quickly," Liquori stated, explaining that she felt the pilots brake as the plane touched down, slowing it before impact and absorbing the brunt of the collision.
Another passenger, identified only as Joseph, who was traveling with his fiancée and sustained minor injuries, echoed this sentiment: "I fully believe that these two pilots, who unfortunately lost their lives, did everything in their power to stop the plane and slow it down at the very last minute. They deserve all the credit for being heroes that day."
Investigation and Official Responses
Air traffic control audio recordings revealed concerning details about the incident. A controller was heard saying, "Truck 1, stop," after previously instructing it to cross the runway. Post-collision audio captured a controller admitting: "I messed up."
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expressed his sympathy to the young pilots' families during a Monday news conference, calling the incident "an absolute tragedy."
Several passengers told the New York Daily News that hard braking saved them, with some believing the pilots engaged reverse thrust just seconds before the crash to slow the aircraft.
Remembering the Fallen Pilots
Antoine Forest was a native of Coteau-du-Lac, southwest of Montreal, while Mackenzie Gunther was a 2023 alumnus of Toronto's Seneca Polytechnic. Their quick thinking in the final moments has left a lasting impact on those they saved.
"I'm just so appreciative that they were able to save us, but I'm just so sad that they weren't able to make it home to their families," Liquori said, capturing the mixed emotions of gratitude and grief shared by survivors.
While President Donald Trump called the LaGuardia crash "terrible" and described aviation as a "dangerous business," he did not specifically mention the Canadian pilots or offer tribute during his remarks about the incident.
