Wisconsin GOP Congressman Swims to Safety After Plane Makes Emergency Lake Landing

US Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany has survived a dramatic emergency landing after the small aircraft he was travelling in lost power and came down in Lake Wausau, Wisconsin.

Tiffany, who is also the Republican candidate for governor of Wisconsin, said he and the pilot had to swim to shallow water after the aircraft began to submerge shortly after landing on the lake late Saturday night.

The incident occurred as Tiffany was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner and approaching Wausau Downtown Airport. According to authorities and Tiffany’s account, the aircraft lost power and the pilot, Leonard Boltz, determined that they could not safely reach the airport runway and instead made an emergency water landing.

After the aircraft hit the water, Tiffany and Boltz called 911 before exiting the plane as it began to sink. The two men then swam towards a shallow area where they waited for emergency responders.

A Wausau Fire Department airboat was used to reach the pair, who were subsequently taken to Aspirus Wausau Hospital for treatment.

Both Tiffany and Boltz suffered minor injuries. Tiffany sustained a cut above his right eye that required stitches, but he was later released from hospital.

In a statement, Tiffany thanked the pilot and emergency responders for their swift response.

The congressman also described the experience as a reminder of the value of life, saying he was grateful to have survived the incident.

The aircraft, identified as a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza, remains submerged in Lake Wausau. Authorities have marked its location with a buoy and are warning boaters to stay away from the area while arrangements are made to remove the aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board is also awaiting the FAA’s assessment to determine whether it will become involved in the investigation.

Tiffany currently represents Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is campaigning to become the state’s governor. He secured the Republican nomination and is due to face Democratic nominee David Crowley in the November 3 election.

Crowley, Tiffany’s Democratic opponent, expressed relief that the congressman and the pilot survived and praised the pilot’s actions during the emergency.

The dramatic incident ended without loss of life, but the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s loss of power remain under investigation.