Articles | 'Miracle on the Hudson'

Crash landing pilot hailed a hero

Published: Friday, 16 January 2009, 7:26AM

A US pilot is being hailed a national hero after all 150 passengers and five crew survived a crash landing into New York's Hudson River.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg awarded uniformed and civilian personnel involved in the rescue, saying the city's "finest and bravest" workers had made "split-second decisions that resulted in a dramatic rescue".

Mayor Bloomberg said: "Because of their efforts and the calm, steady leadership shown by the plane's pilot and crew, miraculously all 155 people on that plane made it to safety."

The Airbus A320, heading for Charlotte, North Carolina, developed problems just minutes after taking off from La Guardia airport with ex-fighter pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, 57, at the controls.

Captain Sullenberger radioed flight controllers that he had hit a flock of birds, knocking out both engines. Radar showed the jet making a series of tight turns to the left, to head down the Hudson and fly low over the George Washington Bridge.

Captain Sullenberger, from Danville, California, then glided the plane in low for a text-book emergency landing.

Passengers spoke of their happiness in just being alive while rescuers told of scared-looking passengers, with one woman clutching a child and "screaming for joy" when help arrived.

Jeff Kolodjay, who was on board, said passengers started praying after the pilot warned them to brace themselves for a hard impact.

Mr Kolodjay, from Norwalk, Connecticut, said that three or four minutes into the flight the left engine blew. He continued: "The pilot told us to brace for impact and that pilot did one hell of a job making sure everyone, or the vast majority of people, got off."

Asked if it was an orderly evacuation, Mr Kolodjay said: "I would say that for a plane that is dumped in the Hudson River, about as orderly as can be. I'm happy to be alive - I'm perfect."

Ferries and water taxis rushed to rescue passengers from Flight 1549, some of whom lined up on the half-submerged plane's wings wearing yellow life vests, before police boats arrived.

Another passenger, who was one of dozens standing on the wings of the plane while they waited to be rescued, said: "I hope none of us ever have to experience it again."

Detective Michael Delany, from the New York Police Department scuba team, said time was crucial as people struggled in the icy conditions.

Mr Delany said: "They were very cold, very lethargic, almost to the point of hypothermia. The water would have been around 55 to 65 feet deep, and at its coldest point around 30F (-1C) to 45F (7C). People would have only been able to survive for around five to ten minutes."

New York Governor David Paterson said earlier: "We've had a miracle on the Hudson. The pilot somehow, without any engines, was able to land this plane ... without any serious injuries."

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.