Air Canada CEO Apologizes for English-Only Crash Message

Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau apologized Thursday for delivering a condolence message in English only following a fatal runway collision at New York's LaGuardia Airport that killed two pilots and injured dozens of passengers and crew. The incident occurred late Sunday when Air Canada Express Flight 8646, en route from Montreal, struck a Port Authority fire truck while landing on a rain-slicked runway.

The crash claimed the lives of pilot Antoine Forest, 30, a French-speaking resident of Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, and first officer Mackenzie Gunther, 24. More than 40 people were hospitalized with injuries ranging from head trauma to fractures, though four remained in care as of Thursday. Air traffic controllers had cleared the Bombardier CRJ900 jet to land less than two minutes before authorizing the fire truck to cross the active runway. The controller issued 12 stop commands in 10 seconds, but received no response from the truck, leading to the impact that obliterated the cockpit and sent the plane skidding over 100 meters amid smoke and debris. No fuel ignited, averting a larger fire, and sturdy passenger restraints limited further harm despite the absence of a brace command...