A flight attendant on the Air Canada Jazz flight that collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia airport has survived after being ejected more than 100 metres from the aircraft while still strapped to her seat. Solange Tremblay was one of nine people taken to hospital after the CRJ-900 jet, operated by Jazz Aviation, struck a fire truck as it landed on Sunday.
Her daughter, Sarah Lépine, described the survival as a “complete miracle”. She told Quebec’s TVA News: “At the moment of impact, her seat was ejected more than 100 metres from the plane. They found her and she was still strapped into her seat. She had a guardian angel watching over her. It could have been much worse.” Lépine said her mother suffered multiple bone fractures and underwent surgery for a broken leg.
Tremblay, who according to her social media profile began working for Jazz 26 years ago as a flight attendant, was among the injured. The collision killed both pilots: Antoine Forest, 30, from Coteau-du-Lac, south-west of Montreal, and Mackenzie Gunther. Forest joined Jazz Aviation in 2022.
Jazz Aviation, owned by Chorus Aviation, operates short-haul flights on behalf of Air Canada under the Air Canada Express brand. In air traffic control recordings released after the crash, a controller is heard giving clearance for a vehicle to cross part of the runway before attempting to stop it. “Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” the transmission says. After the collision, controllers discussed the incident, with one saying “I tried to reach out … we were dealing with an emergency earlier. I messed up.” Another replied: “Nah, man, you did the best you could.”
Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said: “The loss of our two fellow crew members onboard Flight 8646 is a profound tragedy. These pilots dedicated their careers to the safe transport of passengers, and we are all thinking of their families, loved ones, and colleagues at Jazz Aviation during this devastating time.” Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, said the collision was “deeply saddening”.
