Plane lands in the Hudson

(Pictures from Reuters and CNN.)

This is an amazing story: ‘Miraculous’ Landing in Hudson.   Go online and look around.  The pictures (more below) are pretty unreal too.

From CNN:

A source familiar with the situation, however, told CNN the pilot reported a double bird strike, but it was unclear whether that meant birds in both engines or two birds in one engine.

The pilot initially said he needed to go back, and air traffic controllers started to give him clearance to do so, but the pilot said he wanted to head to Teterboro, New Jersey, because it was closer. That was the last transmission from the pilot, the source said.

Witnesses reported seeing the plane hit a flock of birds, Brown said.

Passenger Alberto Pinero said that within a few minutes after takeoff, “you just heard a loud bang and the plane shook a bit.”

Passengers could smell smoke, and “the plane just started turning. … We knew something was going on, ’cause look, we were turning back,” he said.

The plane’s captain came on the speaker and said, ” ‘Brace for impact,’ ” he said. “That’s when we knew we were going down and into the water. We just hit, and somehow the plane stayed afloat and we were able to get on the raft. It’s just incredible right now that everybody’s still alive.”

It’s amazing that this happened just because of a flock of birds.  It makes sense that that would be a risk, but I never would have thought it could bring a plane down.  Good to hear that everyone is safe.

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