It was a mini Miracle on the Hudson — in the heart of the Hudson Valley as opposed to the heart of Manhattan.
A small plane attempting an emergency landing crashed into the frigid Hudson River Monday night, making what officials called an “ice landing.”
The pilot and a passenger escaped the wreckage and safely swam to shore, authorities said.
The crash occurred shortly after the single-engine Cessna 172 took off from Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the reported crash site but initially could not locate the aircraft, the Middle Hope Fire Department reported. However, the plane was spotted a few minutes later in waters off Newburgh, about 60 miles from where pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberg landed a US Airways jet in 2009.
Later, it appeared to be sinking beneath the ice blocks.
The pilot and a passenger were being treated at a hospital for undisclosed minor injuries. Their names were not released.
The FAA is investigating.
Another miracle on the 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.
Grateful to our first responders for their quick actions.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) March 3, 2026
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul praised the efforts of the responders, calling the rescue “another miracle on the Hudson,” a reference to the January 2009 crash where Sully’s jet hit a flock of birds and lost power in both engines shortly after takeoff.
Sully was hailed a hero after he landed the powerless plane in the Hudson River and all 155 people on board were rescued.