Mayor of NY Speech about Plane Crash in Hudson River

This is the speech of the Mayor of New York about what happened in the incident.

LIVE COVERAGE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28678669/?GT1=43001

A US Airways jetliner crashed into the frigid Hudson River on Thursday afternoon after a flock of birds apparently disabled both its engines, but rescuers pulled the more than 150 passengers and crew members into boats before the plane sank.

After boats rushed to the rescue, the Federal Aviation Administration said that all passengers on US Airways Flight 1549 were off the plane and safe.

FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the flight had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport en route to Charlotte, N.C., when the crash occurred in the river near 48th Street in New York City.

The plane, an Airbus 320, took off at 3:26 p.m. and went down minutes later, Brown said.

"There were eyewitness reports the plane may have flown into a flock of birds," Brown said. She added, "right now we don't have any indication this was anything other than an accident."

Doug Church, spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Union, said that the pilot reported a "double bird strike" about 30 to 45 seconds after takeoff and said he needed to return to LaGuardia.

The controller instructed the pilot to divert to an airport in Teterboro, N.J., for an emergency landing, Church said.

A passenger who identified himself as Jeff told NBC News the engines blew about 3 minutes into the flight. "Fire started blowing up," he said. "I thought we would be able to circle around, but the captain said 'brace for impact.' ... I think the captain did a helluva job."

The plane was submerged in the icy waters up to the windows. Rescue crews opened the door and pulled passengers in yellow life vests from the plane. Rescue boats and commuter ferry boats that ply the Hudson surrounded the plane, which appeared to be slowly sinking in the near-freezing water. The temperature was around 20 degrees.

Witnesses said the plane's pilot appeared to guide the plane down.

Category:

News & Politics

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• New
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• about
• plane
• crashing
• into
• hudson
• river

[sandy78]

Perhaps PETA will protest the killing of the birds?

[iHACK360]

xD

That just made me laugh!

[lucvi1959]

Bravo for the commander of the flight 1549, Mr. Chesley Sullenberger! By his control and his coolness, he saved the life of 150 people! Could Mr. Sullenberger be the first nobody decorated with the highest distinction by the new President of the United States, Mr. Barack Obama? Why not! What do you think about it? LucVI, of Belgium (Europe).

[SoberGeorge]

I am so impressed with not only a truly amazing pilot and crew, but also by the swift rescue afforts of the New York City rescue teams. Way to go NY!

[haven7788]

@SAMMYJS991

i read this, checked ryan's comment, and it really made me laugh :)

[SAMMYJS991]

@ryanscottrevels ryan, your post makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.

can you please elaborate.

[sellerofebooks]

Sounds like you are all idiot's to me.

[AyraBoy]

wow those life jackets are stupid...they only let ur head float...u cant see wats around u lol...it shud be like a regular life jacket...i mean VEST

[Duffybear30]

D0NEIT4THELULZ ... taliban has nothing to do with this crash u idiot ..

[pikkelsmayonaizzz]

utubewarren you fail, everybody can see he was joking

but ofcourse, for every sarcast joke, theres always some dude who wants to take it serious because he wants to come across as an "intellectual" on the internet

[RoxSal2320]

are you nut?

[D0NEIT4THELULZ]

I reckon the pilot should have crashed the plane into some buildings for old times sakes.

And those birds were trained by the Taliban you idiot.

[utubewarrenj]

dude!!! you can't just evade birds! he wasn't in a fighter, this was a passenger liner. do some research!