Air Canada Flight Attendant Ejected During LaGuardia Crash Hospitalised with Severe Injuries
The daughter of an Air Canada flight attendant, who was violently ejected hundreds of feet from a crashed aircraft at New York's LaGuardia Airport, has provided a harrowing update on her mother's condition as she battles horrific injuries sustained in the deadly incident.
Catastrophic Injuries Detailed in GoFundMe Appeal
On March 22, 2026, an Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire truck on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, resulting in the tragic deaths of both pilots, Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther. Flight attendant Solange Tremblay was still strapped to her seat when she was thrown an astonishing 320 feet from the wreckage, suffering catastrophic injuries.
Her daughter, Sarah Lepine, detailed the extensive damage in a GoFundMe update, revealing that her mother sustained two shattered legs with open fractures requiring multiple surgeries where metal plates are necessary to repair the damage. Additionally, Tremblay suffered a fractured spine, with medical teams still assessing whether surgical intervention will be required.
"Furthermore, she requires skin grafts to repair the missing flesh she lost on her legs while sliding down the tarmac," Lepine added, painting a grim picture of the physical trauma endured during the crash.
Long Road to Recovery Ahead
The GoFundMe page includes a photograph of Tremblay smiling from her hospital bed alongside a visitor, with her legs and right knee heavily bandaged. Despite the visible trauma, Lepine noted her mother's resilience while acknowledging the difficult journey ahead.
"She has suffered so much from the crash and still has a ways to go before she is fully recovered," Lepine explained. "She will have to undergo several other surgeries, along with intensive rehabilitation to learn how to walk again. At the moment our greatest fear is the risk of infection which could lead to other horrifying complications if her injuries become infected."
Lepine also revealed that her mother required a blood transfusion due to complications during one of her surgeries, highlighting the precarious nature of her recovery process.
Fundraiser Nears Target as Investigation Continues
As of Sunday, March 29, the fundraiser had raised nearly CA$140,000 of its CA$160,000 target, demonstrating significant public support for the injured flight attendant's recovery expenses.
While dozens of people were injured in the crash, most were able to walk away or spent limited time in hospital treatment. As of the latest reports, only five of the injured remained hospitalised, with Tremblay among those facing the most severe and long-term consequences.
LaGuardia's Safety Under Scrutiny
The crash represents one of the most serious incidents to occur at LaGuardia Airport in decades and marks the first fatal crash at the facility in thirty years. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Kathryn Garcia, head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, told CBS News New York that her office will await the NTSB report before considering any operational changes at the airport. LaGuardia has notably shorter runways than nearby JFK and Newark Liberty airports, and pilots have previously reported close calls and communication issues with air traffic controllers, according to the New York Post.
"I won't speculate on a possible cause until a report is available," Garcia stated, emphasising the need for thorough investigation before drawing conclusions about the factors contributing to this tragic aviation accident.
