For Throwback Thursday, an updated repost of an event from ten years ago — the other “Miracle on the Hudson.”
Ten years ago this week, US Airways Flight 1549 made an emergency water landing in the Hudson River. If the plane’s pilots, Captain Chesley “Sulley” Sullenberger and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles had not glided the plane in at just the right angle and airspeed, it is likely that the plane would have broken apart and that all the 155 passengers and crew aboard could have died. The landing is often called the “Miracle on the Hudson.” There was, however, a second miracle on the Hudson that day. Remarkably, New York harbor commuter ferries began arriving at the flooding plane less than four minutes after the crash. Had it not been for the ferries’ rapid rescue of the passengers from the icy waters, the “miracle” might have ended as tragedy.
The plane’s rear bulkhead had fractured and the plane was rapidly sinking in the river. The water temperature was 36° F (2° C). The air temperature was 20°F (−7 °C). Passengers were standing on both wings, made slick by leaking jet fuel. Other passengers were in emergency rafts attached to the plane. A few passengers were in the water. If help did not arrive immediately, it was likely that many would die from drowning or exposure. Amazingly, NY Waterway’s ferry, Thomas Jefferson, under the command of Captain Vincent Lombardi, arrived at the stricken aircraft 3 minutes and 40 seconds after it hit the water. A second ferry arrived less than a minute later.
The ferry bow boarding ramps were almost 7 feet about the water level, too high for the passengers to easily climb aboard, so the crews lowered nets and ladders as the captains maneuvered their boats next to the sinking plane, in the several knot current in the middle of the Hudson River. Ferry passengers helped the crews distributing life jackets and in hauling passengers from the water.
Soon four other ferries arrived as did a Coast Guard rescue boat and the NYPD scuba team, by helicopter. Amazingly, all 155 people aboard the plane were rescued from the water with only minor injuries. Of the 155, 135 were rescued by harbor ferries.
Captain Sullenberger was the last person off the plane, making sure that no one was left aboard before he got in the one of the rafts. He was rescued by the ferry Athena.
To add to the story. The reason for the quick response was that the ferries were just casting off when the plane landed on the water. So for them they had already collected what ever passengers and didnt have to cast off with people still inline to board.
Yet ever since 9-11. New York city has had a plan for the what if there is an emergency.
I’m still tired of hearing about it, the news media already over-killed the story!
My heart is still lifted when I recall this event.
Although I am in the UK, and have therefore only had limited exposure to the story, it remains vividly etched in my mind.
Apart from the ‘miracle part’ i.e. the almost ridiculously fanciful chance of landing safely on water, I recall the character of the main pilot, ‘Sully.’ After being the catalyst for the miracle and safely evacuating his passengers, albeit onto the wings of his plane, he fulfilled his final duty by walking up and down the watery passenger cabin ensuring that not one of his passengers had been missed.
Fantastic event.