A man and teen are lucky to be alive after surviving a plane crash on Sunday. The aircraft they were flying in crashed into the Long Island Sound off Connecticut, and its occupants miraculously escaped with minor injuries.
According to a news release from Tweed New Haven Airport, the pilot of the Piper PA-32 aircraft declared an emergency at around 10:24 AM. They were in contact with New York Air Traffic Control at the time. The plane departed from Bridgeport earlier in the morning and authorities redirected it to Tweed-New Haven Airport for an emergency landing.
The release explains that the airport control tower and staff prepped for the Piper PA-32’s arrival, but it never arrived. Officials reported the aircraft crash-landed off the coast of Branford. The US Coast Guard confirmed in a separate message on X that their station in New Haven “rescued two people from a downed aircraft.” Authorities transported them to Stony Creek Pier for emergency service support. They were reportedly in a stable condition.
The Plane Was Completely Submerged When Authorities Arrived
According to CBS News, the plane was completely submerged when the Coast Guard arrived. A report by the New York Post says the pair escaped the sinking aircraft with “minor injuries, including cuts on their hands and face and cold water exposure.” The outlet also reveals that the occupants were a 41-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl.
Per News 12 Connecticut, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said, “I cannot say this enough. The pilot and his passenger owe their lives to the remarkable first responders who put their own lives on the line in windy conditions and amid choppy seas to pull the survivors out of the water and get them safely to shore. We all owe these first responders a debt of gratitude for doing their jobs so well.” He reportedly added, “It’s a miracle that both the pilot and his passenger walked away from the crash with only bumps and bruises.”
It’s unclear what prompted the pilot to contact the New York Air Traffic Control or the events leading up to the crash landing. The FAA is reportedly investigating the incident.