Air Canada President and CEO Michael Rousseau has described the deadly LaGuardia crash as a “very sombre day” for the airline, marking his first public statement after the Air Canada Express flight collided with a fire truck while landing. The incident, which occurred late Sunday, killed both the pilot and copilot and injured dozens of others, prompting Rousseau to issue a brief video address conveying his grief and the company’s immediate focus on passengers and crew.
Rousseau said the Air Canada Express CRJ‑900, operating as flight AC8646 from Montreal, was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members when it struck the Port Authority fire truck on the runway at LaGuardia Airport. In his statement, he confirmed that the captain and first officer had died in the accident and that the airline is now working with U.S. and Canadian authorities to verify the number and severity of injuries.
The CEO emphasized that the airline’s immediate priority is the “needs of our passengers and crew members, along with their families and loved ones,” and announced that Air Canada’s special‑assistance team has been activated to provide support. He acknowledged that there are many questions but stressed that the circumstances of the collision are still under investigation and that the company does not yet have all the answers.
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Rousseau also expressed sorrow for the two Jazz Aviation pilots, whose subsidiary operates the Air Canada Express service, underlining that their loss is deeply felt by the entire Air Canada family. The statement was released on the airline’s main social‑media channels and accompanied by footage of the shattered aircraft nose, reinforcing the gravity of what he called “a tragic accident.”
In the hours following the crash, LaGuardia Airport was temporarily shut down and then reopened the next day, with officials warning of residual delays. For Air Canada, the CEO’s sombre tone reflects not only the human toll but also the beginning of a more complex phase: managing passenger claims, reputational fallout, and a high‑profile inquiry into how an arriving jet and an airport fire truck winded up on the same runway.
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