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Airbus crashes in New York river Airbus crashes in New York river
(about 1 hour later)
A US airliner on a domestic flight with at least 152 people aboard has crashed into the Hudson River in New York City but with no loss of life. A US airliner on a domestic flight with 155 people aboard has ditched into the Hudson River in New York City but with no loss of life.
All 148 passengers and the crew of at least four were rescued from the sinking plane, with some suffering injuries on impact. All 150 passengers, three flight attendants and two pilots were rescued in freezing weather, with a number later treated for unspecified injuries.
The US Airways Airbus A320 crashed just after taking off from LaGuardia Airport heading for Charlotte, North Carolina.The US Airways Airbus A320 crashed just after taking off from LaGuardia Airport heading for Charlotte, North Carolina.
Officials believe the plane may have collided with a flock of geese.Officials believe the plane may have collided with a flock of geese.
"There is no indication that the incident is security-related," a homeland security official told the BBC. Gotta give it to the pilot, man, he made a hell of a landing Jeff Kolodjay a passenger class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7832256.stm">In pictures: New York plane crash class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7832309.stm">'We knew we were going down' class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/your_news/7593687.stm">Send your pictures and video
Rescue boats plucked passengers, who could be seen wearing life jackets, from the wings of the plane on a day which saw sub-zero temperatures in the city. Rescue boats plucked passengers, who could be seen wearing life jackets, from the wings of the plane.
The BBC's Greg Wood, in New York, says the plane was drifting rapidly down the Hudson as the rescue was carried out. The BBC's Greg Wood, in New York, says the aircraft was drifting rapidly down the Hudson as the rescue was carried out.
Our correspondent says there is a mood of overwhelming relief in New York that there was no loss of life.Our correspondent says there is a mood of overwhelming relief in New York that there was no loss of life.
US Airways said it was confirming passenger and crew names from Flight 1549 and would issue them as soon as possible. It also gave an emergency number for people who believe they may have had relatives on the flight: 1-800-679-8215. US Airways gave an emergency number for people who believe they may have had relatives on the flight: 1-800-679-8215.
Praise for pilot 'Like on a runway'
Flight 1549 departed LaGuardia at 1503 local time (2003 GMT), after a delay of 18 minutes, the airline said.Flight 1549 departed LaGuardia at 1503 local time (2003 GMT), after a delay of 18 minutes, the airline said.
Gotta give it to the pilot, man, he made a hell of a landing Jeff Kolodjay a passenger class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7832256.stm">In pictures: New York plane crash class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7832309.stm">'We knew we were going down' BBC News website reader Nigel Baker took this picture of the plane
According to an air controllers union spokesman, a US Airways pilot reported a "double bird strike" less than a minute after take-off and asked to return to the ground, before ditching in the Hudson.
The spokesman, Doug Church, said the pilot apparently meant that birds had hit both of the plane's jet engines. It appears the birds involved were a flock of geese.
Stephanie Nachman, who works in a high-rise building in Times Square, told the BBC she had seen the plane crash.
She said she had seen the plane flying very low over the Hudson and was shocked by how low.
Then it landed in the water, she added, but "it wasn't wild or erratic but if as it was landing on a runway".
Within minutes, she added, people got out, doors popped out and rafts unfurled.
Eyewitness accounts of NY crash
Jeff Kolodjay, a passenger on the plane, described the crash for the BBC.Jeff Kolodjay, a passenger on the plane, described the crash for the BBC.
"About three or four minutes into the flight... the left engine just blew... flames coming out of it and I was looking right at it cos I was sitting right there."About three or four minutes into the flight... the left engine just blew... flames coming out of it and I was looking right at it cos I was sitting right there.
"And it just started smelling a lot like gasoline and a couple of minutes after that the pilot said 'you guys gotta brace for a hard impact'."And it just started smelling a lot like gasoline and a couple of minutes after that the pilot said 'you guys gotta brace for a hard impact'.
"And that's when everyone started, to be honest, saying prayers and we looked over the water and we thought we had a chance because, you know, there's some water."And that's when everyone started, to be honest, saying prayers and we looked over the water and we thought we had a chance because, you know, there's some water.
"Gotta give it to the pilot, man, he made a hell of a landing." Asked how he got out of the plane he said: "At first chaos, but everyone was kind of orderly, man. You know after a while everyone, we just, I just kept saying relax relax, women and children first. And then it just started filling with water, quick."
Mr Kolodjay said that some of the passengers were bleeding after the impact. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that police divers had rescued some people from the water.
Asked how he got out of the plane he said: A spokesman at St Luke's Roosevelt hospital in Manhattan told Reuters that he expected as many as 50 patients with exposure and secondary injuries, while people with more serious injuries were being sent to nearby hospitals.
"At first chaos, but everyone was kind of orderly, man. You know after a while everyone, we just, I just kept saying relax relax, women and children first. And then it just started filling with water, quick." 'Truly heroic'
Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of US Airways, gives a statement New York Senator Charles Schumer said it was a modern-day miracle that no one had been killed.
An unnamed man who witnessed the crash from the ground told the BBC it had seemed like a scene from a film. "The pilot was truly heroic - that's the preliminary indication," he said.
"It looked crazy, it looked like a movie, it looked like a movie, it was incredible," he said. "He saw what was happening, gained a low altitude, turned the plane in the right direction, found the Hudson River and made sure it wasn't a nose-first landing but rather flat.
"It made a pretty big splash when it landed on the water." "And that's probably what saved everybody's life, thank God."
Bird strike theory "Gotta give it to the pilot, man, he made a hell of a landing," said passenger Jeff Kolodjay.
The airliner eventually sank, the Associated Press reports.
America's National Transportation Safety Board has announced it is is sending a team to investigate the crash.America's National Transportation Safety Board has announced it is is sending a team to investigate the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration said eyewitnesses had reported that the plane "may have flown into a flock of birds".
"Right now we don't have any indication this was anything other than an accident," Ms Brown said.
Joe Mazzone, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot, told the Associated Press it was not unusual for birds to strike planes and when planes get ready to take off, if there are birds in the area, the tower will alert the crew.
"They literally just choke out the engine and it quits," Mr Mazzone said.
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