A float plane crash on Conestogo Lake made for some tense moments, but the plane’s pilot and passenger were able to escape with no injuries.
The crash occurred at the Conestogo Lake Conservation Area, northwest of Elmira, shortly before 9:30 a.m. Monday.
Witnesses say the plane landed hard on the water, flipped over and began to sink.
Before long, the entire plane was submerged.
Its occupants, who were able to escape and sit on top the sunken plane while wearing floatation devices, called 911.
Firefighters took a boat out to the upside-down plane, where they picked up the passengers and returned them to shore.
Park superintendent Dean McFadden says it was a lucky break for the pilot and passenger that they had a cellphone and could call 911.
“That was excellent, because (there were) not too many people around on a windy, cold morning like we had today,” he said.
High winds made rescue efforts more difficult and may have also been a factor in the crash.
“Head office came with a larger boat to attempt to pull it to shore, but it was just too windy and the waves were too big,” said McFadden.
The plane was ultimately blown to the lake’s dam, where rescue officials were able to pull it out of the water with the help of a crane.
