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Pilot, passenger swim to safety after plane crashes into New York's Hudson River
By Bradford Betz
Published March 03, 2026
A pilot and passenger swam through the frigid waters of the Hudson River and reached shore safely after their Cessna 172 made an emergency landing Monday night, officials said.
The aircraft had taken off from Long Island when the pilot was forced to land in the river just after 8 p.m., the Middle Hope Fire Department said in a Facebook post.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
Middle Hope Fire Department responders, along with personnel from other agencies, were dispatched to the scene. After a brief search, first responders located the plane within the City of Newburgh, authorities said.
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A plane wades in the Hudson River. (Facebook/Middle Hope Fire Department)
Fire officials said the two occupants were able to free themselves from the aircraft and swim to shore. Newburgh Emergency Medical Services evaluated the pair before they were transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
Multiple agencies were on the scene after a plane crashed into the Hudson River. (Facebook/Middle Hope Fire Department)
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul hailed the incident as "Another miracle on Hudson."
"Thank God both the pilot and passenger of a single engine plane that performed an ice landing near Newburgh have been located with only minor injuries," the governor wrote in a post on X. "Grateful to our first responders for their quick actions."
A plane made an emergency landing on the Hudson River Monday evening. (Facebook/Middle Hope Fire Department)
New York Rep. Pat Ryan said he was "closely monitoring reports of a small plane making an emergency landing near the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge."
"I’m in touch with officials on the ground, who have shared that both passengers are safely out of the water & have been evacuated by EMS," he said. "Incredibly grateful for our Hudson Valley first responders who are responding swiftly and put their lives on the line to keep others safe."
First responders found the plane within the city limits of Newburgh. (Facebook/Middle Hope Fire Department)
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The cause of the emergency landing remains under investigation.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/hudson-river-plane-emergency-landing-newburgh-hochul