A US Airways jet crashed Thursday in the Hudson River in New York City after a flock of birds allegedlly struck its engines, but everyone aboard survived, and the pliot is being hailed as a hero.(Video & Pictures)
Passengers were sent fleeing into the icy, 35 degree waters when the Airbus 320 went down shortly after takeoff near 48th Street in Manhattan.
Two of the jet's engines were hit by a flock of birds, according to government officials. The Federal Aviation Administration said everyone on board survived and was off the plane.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the pilot told him he walked the plane twice to make sure everyone was off the plane, before exiting the aircraft.
"We've had a 'Miracle on 34th Street' and now we have a miracle on the Hudson," said New York Gov. David Patterson.
The pilot's idenity hasn't been released, and is waiting to speak with the National Transporation Safety Board before talking to anyone about what happened, Bloomberg said.
But, government officials said two of the jet's engines were hit by a flock of birds.
"There were eyewitness reports the plane may have flown into a flock of birds," said FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown. "Right now we don't have any indication this was anything other than an accident."
An air traffic controllers union official said the pilot reported a "double bird strike" less than a minute after takeoff and was headed for an emergency landing in New Jersey when he ditched into the Hudson River.
National Air Traffic Controllers Union spokesman Doug Church says the plane reported the bird striked about 30 to 45 seconds after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport and asked to return to the ground. As the controller began to turn the aircraft, the pilot radioed that he saw an airport below him and asked what it was.
Church said the controller in Westbury, N.Y., replied, "That's Teterboro." The pilot asked to land there. The last transmission between the pilot and controller was the controller's order to divert to Teterboro, N.J., for an emergency landing.
Doug Parker, chairman and chief executive officer of US Airways Group, would not speculate on what caused the incident, but said at a press conference that the company will fully cooperate with investigators.
Most of the passengers were held at the New York City ferry terminal at 42nd Street after the crash, though at least two were taken away on stretchers. The New York City Fire Department said 78 people were injured, but the extent of the injuries wasn't immediately known.
Flight 1549 had just taken off at 3:26 p.m. when it went down. The flight had 150 passengers and five crew — two pilots and three flight attendants —on board, and was heading to Charlotte, N.C., said Parker, who was leaving for New York.
The plane was submerged in the icy waters up to the windows but remained completely intact. Rescue crews opened the door and pulled passengers in yellow life vests from the plane. Several boats — including commuter ferries — surrounded the plane.
Many of the passengers were able to step off the plane and directly on a rescue boat or onto the wings of the plane, Bloomberg said.
A number of Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. employees were on board the flight.
Wells Fargo spokeswoman Mary Eshet said three employees of the San Francisco-based bank were on US Airways Flight 1549, and all are safe.
At Charlotte-based Bank of America, spokeswoman Nicole Nastacie said the nation's largest bank was confirming the whereabouts of its employees and working with authorities to gather more information.
An team of investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to arrive in New York City Thursday night, said Bloomberg, adding the plane was still floating and tied up at a lower Manhattan dock.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said terrorism wasn't suspected.
"There is no information at this time to indicate that this is a security-related incident," Homeland Security spokeswoman Laura Keehner said. "We continue to closely monitor the situation which at present is focused on search and rescue."
Witnesses said the plane's pilot appeared to guide the plane down.
Jan. 15: A US Airways plane went down in the Hudson River in New York City, but everyone survived.
Jan. 15: A US Airways plane went down in the Hudson River in New York City, but everyone survived.
"I see a commercial airliner coming down, looking like it's landing right in the water," said Bob Read, who saw it from his office at the television newsmagazine "Inside Edition." "This looked like a controlled descent."
"I saw what appeared to be a tail fin of a plane sticking out of the water," said Erica Schietinger, whose office windows at Chelsea Piers look out over the Hudson. "All the boats have sort of circled the area."
A team of US Airways employee volunteers are helping the passengers and crew who were affected, Parker said.
Those who believe they may have family members on board flight 1549 can call US Airways at 1-800-679-8215 within the United States.
( Source Fox News )
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