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| New York honours river crash crew | New York honours river crash crew |
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| The pilot and crew of a plane which ditched into the Hudson River after its engines failed have been honoured with the keys to New York City. | The pilot and crew of a plane which ditched into the Hudson River after its engines failed have been honoured with the keys to New York City. |
| Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the two pilots and three flight attendants of were "five real American heroes". | Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the two pilots and three flight attendants of were "five real American heroes". |
| Capt Chesley Sullenberger steered the aircraft into the water as it lost power shortly after take-off, saving the lives of all 155 people on board. | Capt Chesley Sullenberger steered the aircraft into the water as it lost power shortly after take-off, saving the lives of all 155 people on board. |
| He was the last person to leave the plane as it floated on the icy waters. | He was the last person to leave the plane as it floated on the icy waters. |
| "It's been called a miracle but in this case there is no miracle without the years of experience and training (of the crew)," Mr Bloomberg told a ceremony attended by all five crew members. | "It's been called a miracle but in this case there is no miracle without the years of experience and training (of the crew)," Mr Bloomberg told a ceremony attended by all five crew members. |
| "Air passengers everywhere were reminded that these true professionals aren't there just to serve drinks and snacks, but they're there to keep us safe." | "Air passengers everywhere were reminded that these true professionals aren't there just to serve drinks and snacks, but they're there to keep us safe." |
| He said the day of the accident "could have been one of our most tragic, but became one of our most triumphant." | He said the day of the accident "could have been one of our most tragic, but became one of our most triumphant." |
| First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, and flight attendants Doreen Welsh, Sheila Dail and Donna Dent received the symbolic keys with Capt Sullenberger. | First Officer Jeffrey Skiles, and flight attendants Doreen Welsh, Sheila Dail and Donna Dent received the symbolic keys with Capt Sullenberger. |
| Capt Sullenberger told reporters that the plane was too low, too slow and too far from any airport to land safely. | Capt Sullenberger told reporters that the plane was too low, too slow and too far from any airport to land safely. |
| After intense media focus, particularly in the past week, he said: "It's a life-changing event. My family and I are trying hard to be true to ourselves while still adjusting to this new reality. | After intense media focus, particularly in the past week, he said: "It's a life-changing event. My family and I are trying hard to be true to ourselves while still adjusting to this new reality. |
| "I feel a great obligation to my co-workers, to all the aviation professionals in this country and around the world, to be chosen by circumstances to be a temporary spokesperson and to represent them as well as I can." | "I feel a great obligation to my co-workers, to all the aviation professionals in this country and around the world, to be chosen by circumstances to be a temporary spokesperson and to represent them as well as I can." |
| Library book | Library book |
| Mr Bloomberg also gave Capt Sullenberger a copy of a library book he had had to leave in the plane. | Mr Bloomberg also gave Capt Sullenberger a copy of a library book he had had to leave in the plane. |
| Entitled Just Culture: Balancing Safety and Accountability, by Sidney Dekker, Mr Bloomberg joked that it could have been written by Capt Sullenberger himself. | Entitled Just Culture: Balancing Safety and Accountability, by Sidney Dekker, Mr Bloomberg joked that it could have been written by Capt Sullenberger himself. |
| Capt Sullenberger twice checked the plane for any remaining passengers or crew before leaving the slowly sinking wreckage. | Capt Sullenberger twice checked the plane for any remaining passengers or crew before leaving the slowly sinking wreckage. |
| US authorities confirmed last week that birds collided with both engines of the plane just before it ditched on 16 January. | US authorities confirmed last week that birds collided with both engines of the plane just before it ditched on 16 January. |
| In a tape of the brief communications between the pilot and an air traffic controller, the pilot is heard calmly saying that he is unable to return to the airport. | In a tape of the brief communications between the pilot and an air traffic controller, the pilot is heard calmly saying that he is unable to return to the airport. |
| "We're gonna be in the Hudson," Capt Sullenberger says, in the last of his messages, less than three minutes after the bird strike was reported. | "We're gonna be in the Hudson," Capt Sullenberger says, in the last of his messages, less than three minutes after the bird strike was reported. |
| The plane had only managed to reach an altitude of 3,200ft (975m). | The plane had only managed to reach an altitude of 3,200ft (975m). |