A small aircraft came crashing into the Long Island Sound waters off of Connecticut yesterday morning, prompting a swift rescue operation by the U.S. Coast Guard. According to a statement to CBS News New York, the plane, identified as a Piper PA-32, went down southeast of the Thimble Islands, near Branford. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that it was investigating the incident involving the aircraft which had two people onboard.
Both occupants, the pilot and one passenger, were rescued and reported to be in stable condition after being transported to shore for EMS treatment, this followed notification of the crash from the Air Traffic Control tower to the Coast Guard's Sector Long Island Sound Command Center. Reports indicate, that the emergency response involved a 45-foot small boat dispatched from Coast Guard Station New Haven. Flight records suggested that the plane had departed from Bridgeport Sikorsky Airport shortly before the mishap.
Local resident Trish Misiasz described the survival of the two individuals as "nothing short of a miracle," as mentioned in an interview with Connecticut News 12. Recognizing the efforts of the Coast Guard and first responders, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim praised their work under the challenging circumstances, emphasizing that "the pilot and his passenger owe their lives to the remarkable first responders."
Ganim emphasized the outcome of the incident, noting that while the FAA continues to investigate the cause of the crash, it is known that the pilot was able to relay his location to the Coast Guard before the aircraft was fully submerged. "It's a miracle...that both the pilot and his passenger walked away from the crash with only bumps and bruises," Ganim told Connecticut News 12. The accident is one of several aviation incidents that have occurred in recent years, taking place as regulations and safety measures continue to evolve.
