Captain Antoine Forest, a Quebec pilot who died in a plane crash at New York’s LaGuardia Airport last month, is being remembered today during a visitation in his hometown of Coteau-du-Lac.
Forest, 30, was one of two pilots killed when Air Canada Express Flight 8646, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a fire truck on the runway on March 22 while arriving from Montreal to New York. The aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. The collision left more than 40 people injured and resulted in the death of both pilots, including First Officer MacKenzie Gunther.
Forest’s visitation is being held at the J.A. Larin & fils inc. funeral home, with hours scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and again from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A private funeral service will follow at a later date.
The Jazz Master Executive Council, representing about 1,400 pilots with the Air Line Pilots Association, has asked crew members to show solidarity with Forest’s family during Friday’s visitation. Pilots are being encouraged to attend in full uniform.
Forest had been working with Jazz Aviation since December 2022.
