Key takeaways:
- Tiffany said the plane lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport after he returned from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner.
- Tiffany and the pilot exited the submerging aircraft, swam to a shallow area and were rescued with only minor injuries.
- WSAW-TV reported the plane went down around 9 p.m. local time and that the investigation was being handed over to the Federal Aviation Authority.
Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, said he sustained minor injuries after the small plane he was traveling in lost power and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau late Saturday.
Tiffany said in a post on X that he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the light aircraft lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport in central Wisconsin. The pilot was forced to land in the water, and the plane began to submerge, Tiffany said.
Tiffany and the pilot got out of the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where they waited for emergency crews.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, and all of the first responders who came to our aid so quickly,” Tiffany said. “They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care. Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.”
Emergency radio communications obtained by NBC News indicated rescue teams were called to reports of a downed plane with two people in the water. The two survivors pulled from the water were “alert and conscious,” the audio suggested.
CBS affiliate WSAW-TV initially reported that a private plane went down in Lake Wausau at about 9 p.m. local time, citing the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office. The station reported that the investigation was being handed over to the Federal Aviation Authority.
“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side,” Tiffany wrote. “An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”
Tiffany represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. He is endorsed by President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election.
His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, posted a message of support after the incident.
“I’m grateful to God that Congressman Tiffany and no one else was hurt in this horrifying incident, which could have been a tragedy if not for the heroism of the pilot,” Crowley wrote on X. “I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones.”
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