US Airways plane (Flight 1549) with 146 passengers was hit by birds, which got sucked into two of the engines, and forced to land in the Hudson River today. The passengers escaped the plane to the icy waters and the U.S. Coast Guard and New York City firefighters quickly proceeded to their rescue.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown says the US Airways Flight 1549 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport enroute to Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday when the crash occurred.

The pilots did an amazing landing on the water according to various witnesses and probably saved those 146 passengers from certain death. Fortunately all the passengers survived with some minor injuries being hypothermia now the biggest danger for the crash victims.

Weather reporter Doyle Rice tells us that a NOAA buoy reports that the current water temperature in Hudson River near Battery Park — close to the crash site — is 41.5 degrees.

Christian Martin, who watched the crash from Manhattan, says the pilot did “a remarkable job” in guiding the plane into the water. He said the touchdown went “very smoothly” almost like a normal runway landing.

Authorities were also quick to report this was not a terrorist act but something natural that can happen anywhere, anytime a plane goes up in the air.

Thank God everyone is OK! We send our thoughts and prayers to all the passengers and their families, who must be living the worst day of their lives. We will keep you updated…

UPDATE: Exclusive Photos of Hudson River Plane Crash

[images: AP]