By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A small Cessna 172 plane made an emergency landing in the Hudson River near Newburgh, New York, Monday evening after reporting in-flight trouble, officials said.
• Two people aboard — the pilot and one passenger — escaped the crash and swam through icy water to shore, authorities reported.
• Both occupants were transported to a hospital with minor injuries and are expected to recover, New York officials said.
• The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the emergency landing.
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the outcome “another miracle on the Hudson,” and first responders were credited with a swift response.
NEWBURGH, NY — A small Cessna 172 aircraft made an emergency landing Monday night on the Hudson River near Newburgh, New York, after encountering problems in flight, authorities said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane, a single-engine Cessna 172, went down around 8 p.m. and came to rest in icy water east of Stewart International Airport. Both the pilot and one passenger escaped the aircraft and swam to shore, officials reported.
Emergency responders from the Middle Hope Fire Department and other local agencies located the two occupants and evaluated them at the scene before they were taken to a hospital; both were treated for minor injuries and are expected to recover.
The FAA is leading an investigation into the cause of the emergency landing, and has not released details on what prompted the aircraft’s difficulties.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the safe outcome as “another miracle on the Hudson” and praised first responders for their rapid actions following the incident.