Following the tragic incident at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Sunday night, new insights and reactions have surfaced.
Previously reported by Blaze News, an Air Canada Express CRJ-900, operated by Jazz Aviation, collided with a Port Authority rescue vehicle that was already addressing another situation.
“I feel like the pilots saved our lives.”
The crash unfolded around 11:40 p.m., and the lead investigator noted that it likely stemmed from “multiple failures.” This information was echoed by various official sources.
Witnesses recalled hearing the air traffic controller’s distressing voice lamenting, “We have failed,” just after the crash. Tragically, two pilots lost their lives, and 41 additional individuals were hospitalized, including two emergency responders.
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, mentioned on “Fox & Friends” that there are numerous unanswered questions surrounding the incident. She stated that it was too soon to assign blame. “Our investigations typically show that there’s no single error that leads to such a disaster,” she commented.
“It usually involves several failures for something like this to occur. Therefore, we will be conducting a thorough investigation.”
Kathryn Garcia, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, shared that, as of Monday morning, 32 of the 41 injured had been released from medical care, though some sustained severe injuries.
Passengers onboard the flight expressed deep gratitude towards the deceased pilots, believing they did everything possible to avert a more calamitous outcome. Rebecca Licoli, speaking to CNN the following day, conveyed immense gratitude towards pilot Antoine Forrest and co-pilot Mackenzie Gunther. “I truly think the pilots saved our lives,” Licoli remarked. “Because of them, I made it home to see my boys. My thoughts are with their families.”
Another passenger, Jack Cabot, recounted the moment: “When we touched down, the brakes felt unusually tight. We knew something wasn’t right,” he explained. “Suddenly, panic took over as we were hit by something, and no one seemed able to control it.”
As of 2 p.m. on Monday, LaGuardia’s Runway 4, where the collision transpired, was expected to remain closed for an extended duration for debris clearance and investigation. A more detailed press conference is anticipated for Tuesday; however, Homendy advised that reaching a conclusion will take time.
