Small plane makes emergency landing in cold Hudson River, 2 people on board swim to safety

Newburgh: A small plane trying to make an emergency landing crashed into the icy Hudson River, but the pilot and a passenger escaped the wreckage and swam safely to shore, authorities said. The crash occurred Monday night shortly after the single-engine Cessna 172 took off from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Emergency crews were dispatched to the reported crash site but were initially unable to locate the aircraft, the Central Hope Fire Department reported. However, minutes later, the plane was spotted in the waters off Newburgh, about 62 miles (100 kilometers) north of Manhattan. The pilot and a passenger are being treated in hospital for minor injuries. Their names have not been released. The cause of the crash is currently unknown and is being investigated by the FAA. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul praised the rescuers’ efforts, calling the rescue “another miracle on the Hudson,” referring to the January 2009 crash in which a US Airways jet struck a flock of birds and lost power to both engines shortly after takeoff. Pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger was hailed as a hero after he landed the powerless plane in the Hudson River and rescued all 155 people on board.