The pilot of the US Airways jet that crashed into the icy waters of New York's Hudson River has been hailed a hero after overseeing the escape of 155 passengers and crew.
View gallery following NY crash landing
Identified by US media as 57-year-old Chesley Sullenberger III, the former fighter pilot was praised by survivors and officials for smoothly landing the jet belly-first onto the river.
The Airbus A320 was forced to make a watery crash-landing after taking off on its flight from New York to Charlotte, North Carolina, yesterday afternoon.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating reports the plane hit a flock of birds after taking off from New York's LaGuardia airport.
Witnesses saw the plane glide in low for an emergency landing, kicking up a cloud of spray in the river, which runs to the west of Manhattan island.
The soft landing allowed passengers to successfully evacuate the stricken craft and saw Mr Sullenberger swiftly dubbed 'The Hero of the Hudson'.
As many as eight ferries and water taxis rushed to rescue passengers, some of whom lined up on the half-submerged plane's wings wearing yellow life vests, before police boats arrived.
'It would appear that the pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river, and then making sure that everybody got out,' New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
'I had a long conversation with the pilot. He walked the plane twice after everybody else was off. And tried to verify that there was nobody else onboard. And (he) assures us there were not.
'The first and most important thing is, this pilot did a wonderful job, and it would appear that all roughly 155, including crew and one infant, got out safely,' Mr Bloomberg said.
New York Governor David Paterson added: 'We've had a miracle on the Hudson.'
One crew member suffered a leg cut and several passengers were treated for exposure to the icy temperatures, local media reported.
Mayor Bloomberg said today that a key to the city of New York would be handed to the crew of Flight 1549.
He said Captain Sullenberger was unable to speak to the media until after the investigation.
Mr Bloomberg said: 'I have a key to the city right here and I am going to keep hold of it until I can present it to the incredibly brave pilot, co-pilot and the crew.
'This is a story of heroes - something out of a movie script. But if it was a movie people probably wouldn't believe it, it is too good to be true.'
Doug Parker, chief executive of US Airways, said he was 'happy, proud and relieved', adding that the response was 'simply amazing'.
He said: 'We are extremely proud of our crew for their quick and heroic actions. Today they are safe and doing well and assisting with the investigation.'
As to the investigation's timescale, Mr Parker said: 'Yesterday's events unfolded in a matter of minutes. To discover what happened will take a lot longer than that.'
Both engines plane have detached and are believed to be at the bottom of the Hudson, a federal investigator said.
'Both engines are no longer attached to the plane,' Kitty Higgins, a member of the National Transport Safety Board, told a press conference.
She added that divers backed with sonar equipment are trying to locate the engines.
