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Antoine Forest was one of the pilots, Radio-Canada sources have confirmed.

The news conference has so far given no new information about the investigation into the cause of the crash. That's to come from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. 

The NTSB is not represented at this event at LaGuardia, but is expected to hold an update to media later today. 

The first question from a reporter was about staffing levels in the air traffic control tower at the time of the crash. Duffy declined to respond, deferring to the NTSB.

It's been more than 34 years since LaGuardia has had a fatal crash, said Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority, which operates the airport.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she has conveyed condolences to the Canadian government. 

FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said the two pilots killed were "two young men at the start of their careers" and called their deaths "an absolute tragedy." 

The mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, and the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, are here as well.  

Duffy says he has spoken to Trump and to Canada's Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon. 

He is going through the basic facts of the crash, confirming there were 72 passengers and four crew on board, that two pilots were killed and around 40 people were sent to hospital. 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is holding a news conference here at LaGuardia shortly. He's to be accompanied by the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Bryan Bedford. 

Transport minister says Canada seeking answers after plane, fire truck collide at N.Y. Airport

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon offered condolences to those impacted by a deadly collision between an Air Canada Express aircraft and an emergency vehicle at LaGuardia Airport in New York, adding that officials will continue to work together in search of answers around what happened.

Canada's Minister of Transport Steven MacKinnon told the House of Commons that he's spoken with his American counterpart and confirmed Canadians "are in LaGuardia today to get to the bottom of this accident." 

MacKinnon also expressed "profound sadness" and condolences to the families and friends of victims. 

The Air Canada Express jet had landed just seconds before the collision and was travelling down the runway at around 160 kilometres per hour when it hit the fire and rescue truck that crossed into its path, according to multiple news outlets. 

CNN is reporting that analysis of data from tracking app Flightradar24 suggests the plane's speed at the time of the crash was around 104 miles per hour, or 167 kilometres an hour. 

ABC News, citing Flightradar24, reported that the aircraft was travelling at between 93 and 105 miles per hour (150 to 169 kilometres an hour) when it hit the rescue vehicle. 

Earlier Monday, Flightradar24 posted on X that the jet's "last recorded ground speed" was about 39 kilometres an hour, but later deleted that post, saying it had caused confusion, as this was not the speed of the plane when the collision happened.

Passenger Clément Lelièvre says the pilots of the Air Canada jet likely saved his life and the lives of other passengers.

The pilot and co-pilot were killed in the collision, which sent 41 people to hospital and injured others, like Lelièvre, who were treated at the scene.

"Just as the plane touched down, the pilot braked extremely hard," Lelièvre, a French national and frequent flyer, told The Canadian Press.

"I don't know the circumstances, but I think he kind of saved our lives because he must have had incredible reflexes."

The deadly collision is a "stark reminder" of the risks aviation workers face, Unifor said in a statement.

"This loss is being felt across the entire aviation community," said Canada's largest private-sector union, which represents some Air Canada aviation workers, but not pilots or flight attendants.

The cause must be determined through a full and independent investigation, Unifor said, but added "it is impossible to ignore the broader pressures facing the aviation industry."

"Across North America, aviation workers continue to raise concerns about staffing shortages, increasing workloads, and strained resources that have followed years of disruption and cost-cutting," the statement said.

"In the United States in particular, chronic understaffing and funding challenges have placed additional pressure on aviation systems and the workers who keep them running safely every day." 

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