NEW YORK (PIX11) – Monday marks the 15th anniversary of what's considered to be the "Miracle on the Hudson": where U.S. Airways Flight 1549 survived what could've been one of the worst air disasters in New York City history.
Shortly after U.S. Airways Flight 1549 took off from LaGuardia Airport on Jan. 15, 2009, it struck a flock of Canadian geese. All engine power was lost, forcing plane captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger to ditch into the Hudson River.
Passengers on the plane told PIX11 News they could hear the engines shutting down and smoke and flames bursting from the engines.
“It’s just that fear, that absolute fear [of going] from the unknown to ‘Oh my God, this could be it!'” Flight 1549 passenger Ian Wells said.
All 155 passengers and flight crew miraculously survived. First responders arrived at the scene within minutes and were able to rescue everyone on board even as water began to fill up the plane.
Sully had made sure everyone got off board by checking the plane cabin twice during rescue efforts.
A celebration will be held Monday to commemorate the first responders, ferry boat operators and hospital staff who helped in the rescue efforts at the NY Waterway Terminal at Pier 79 at 1 p.m.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
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