In a dramatic Sunday morning rescue, two people got pulled to safety after their small plane crashed into the Long Island Sound near Tweed New Haven Airport. The crash happened around 10:30 a.m. and set off a quick, multi-agency response from Connecticut coastal communities.
Emergency crews jumped into action along the shoreline. Coast Guard personnel rescued the occupants, who survived with only minor injuries and hypothermia after their plane went under.
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Small Plane Crashes into Long Island Sound Near New Haven
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that a Piper PA-32 Cherokee carrying two people crashed into the waters of Long Island Sound on Sunday morning. The plane had left Bridgeport and tried to reach Tweed New Haven Airport for an emergency landing, but it went down about eight miles short of the destination.
Before the aircraft disappeared beneath the surface, the pilot managed to transmit the plane’s coordinates. That quick thinking probably made a huge difference for the rescue teams.
Multi-Town Emergency Response Mobilized
The Coast Guard arrived first at the scene, showing just how vital maritime emergency services are along Connecticut’s coast. Soon, emergency teams from Branford, Guilford, East Haven, and West Haven joined in for a coordinated rescue.
Branford emergency crews were initially sent out to check reports of a boat in trouble near the Thimble Islands, a busy boating spot off Stony Creek. When they got there, they realized it was actually an aircraft in distress, not a boat, and had to shift gears fast.
By the time all the responders reached the crash site, the Piper Cherokee had already gone under. Still, Coast Guard teams managed to find and pull both people from the water.
Rescue crews brought the survivors back to Stony Creek, where Branford Marine 5 teams gave them immediate medical care. Both individuals were treated for minor injuries and hypothermia—honestly, it’s kind of amazing they avoided anything worse, considering what happened.
Investigation Underway as Connecticut Communities React
The FAA has started looking into what led up to the crash. Officials from New Haven and nearby towns felt relieved that rescuers saved everyone, but they’re still wondering why the plane needed to make an emergency landing and ended up in the Sound.
It’s hard not to think about how risky small aircraft travel can be, even for short flights between places like Bridgeport and New Haven. The whole thing really shines a light on how crucial it is to have fast, well-coordinated emergency responses along Connecticut’s coast.
People living from Madison to Milford have been thanking first responders for acting so quickly. Quite a few boaters said they watched emergency vehicles and Coast Guard boats rush to the scene, and it definitely got the weekend maritime crowd talking.
Aviation experts now have to figure out if weather, mechanical trouble, or something else forced the flight to divert to Tweed New Haven Airport before crashing into Long Island Sound.
Here is the source article for this story: Coast Guard rescues two after plane crashed into the Long Island Sound
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