Thursday, January 15, 2009

Beyond Borders: Plane crashes into Hudson River

An experienced pilot and quick-thinking rescuers are being cited as two of the main reasons why 155 people survived an icy plunge into New York’s Hudson River on Thursday afternoon:

"We've had a miracle on the Hudson," New York Gov. David Paterson said after confirming that everyone survived the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 accident. Though his remarks may seem like superlatives, there have been only two other occasions in the past fifty years where a commercial airline landed in the water without fatalities.

With some residents still jittery over an airline crash in this post-9/11 era, Federal Aviation Authority investigators ruled out terrorism and claimed that the plane’s engines shutdown after hitting a flock of birds.

According to one of the flight’s survivors:
Alberto Panero, said: "I want to say thank you to that pilot. It was as good a landing as you can make in a river." He said that passengers had begun ¬praying as it came in low over the river, but all had remained calm.
Online Sources- New York Daily News, Reuters, AFP, IHT, Guardian UK
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5 comments:

  1. Ulises Jorge Bidó9:11 AM

    " Federal Aviation Authority investigators ruled out terrorism..."

    I would not be so sure if I was them...there's more to this than meets the eye...

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  2. Bluegrass Pundit11:59 AM

    Brace for impact: Hudson river landing video
    Here is the best video I could find relating to the Hudson river crash of U.S. Airways Flight 1549. This emergency landing was a "miracle."

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  3. Erwin C.2:21 PM

    Please don't take this the wrong way Ulises as I always appreciate your comments and thoughts. But the Big Hollywood post linked to was one of the lamest things I've ever read. Even if it was in jest, to compare the political views of 9/11 to yesterday's accident is crass and distasteful.

    Generally I don't mind satire and perhaps I'm taking that post too seriously. but after reading that I feel dirty and in need of a shower.

    Just my two cents; again, please don't misunderstand.

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  4. Bluegrass Pundit7:56 AM

    At about the two minute mark you can see US Air Flight 1549 skid into the Hudson. Then, you can see the passengers climb out onto the wings. This video is 10 minutes long. Actual video of Flight 1549 skidding into the Hudson.

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  5. Bluegrass Pundit5:54 PM

    "We're gonna be in the Hudson"

    Those were the exact words the pilot of the 'miracle flight' told air traffic controllers right before ditching the plane in the Hudson River. The flight attendants yelled, "Brace! Brace! Head down!"

    ReplyDelete