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In a dramatic turn of events Monday night, a small aircraft from Long Island crash-landed into the icy waters of the Hudson River, with both the pilot and passenger managing to swim to safety. Authorities have confirmed the pair’s incredible escape from the frigid depths.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that the Cessna 172, carrying two individuals, went down near New York Stewart International Airport around 8 p.m. The crash site was located east of the airport, and the aircraft was en route from a Long Island airport.
According to Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, the plane lost power near the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge’s southern approach, causing it to descend rapidly into the river.
Initially, emergency crews struggled to locate the submerged aircraft. However, they eventually discovered it in Newburgh, as evidenced by photographs showing the plane surrounded by floating ice, shared by the Middle Hope Fire Department.
Despite the chilling impact, both the pilot and passenger survived and managed to swim to the riverbank, braving the freezing waters, fire officials reported.
They were both taken to local hospitals and are expected to make a full recovery, Neuhaus said on Facebook.
Data from Flightradar24 showed that the privately owned plane left from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma around 6:55 p.m. and crashed into the major waterway about an hour later.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the safe rescue of the two people “another miracle on the Hudson,” in a post on X late Monday.
“Thank God both the pilot and passenger of a single-engine plane that performed an ice landing near Newburgh have been located with only minor injuries,” she wrote.
New York Rep. Pat Ryan also posted on X that his office has been closely monitoring reports of the crash.
“I’m in touch with officials on the ground, who have shared that both passengers are safely out of the water & have been evacuated by EMS,” he said.
“Incredibly grateful for our Hudson Valley first responders who are responding swiftly and put their lives on the line to keep others safe.”
The FAA will investigate the incident, including its cause.