Aircraft lands in Australian harbor
Friday, 06 February 2009, 21:11 IST
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Canberra: An Australian pilot Friday ditched a light plane safely into Darwin Harbour in a dramatic scene reminiscent of America's Hudson River landing. Six people were aboard the plane when it experienced a "loss of power" shortly after take-off from Darwin Airport Friday morning. Pilot Steve Bolle, who works for IT company CSG, was forced to make an emergency landing in the shallow tidal waters off East Point Reserve about 8.40 a.m. "Apparently the pilot experienced some engine troubles on take-off," said Northern Territories Duty Superintendent Rob Farmer. "He realised that he would not be able to make it back to the airport so he has made a decision to land it (near) the beach," Australian Associated Press quoted Farmer as saying in Darwin. The Piper Chieftain came to rest on a sand bank, about 200 meters from the shore, at the reserve on the outskirts of the city. All the passengers came safely out of the plane after the emergency landing. The incident is being investigated by the Air Transport Safety Bureau.
Source: IANS
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