Tom Tiffany Swims From Sinking Plane

Tom Tiffany. (Public Domain).

Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany sustained minor injuries Saturday night when the small plane carrying him lost power and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau.

Tiffany said he was returning from the La Crosse County Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner when the aircraft lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport.

“The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau,” Tiffany said in a statement posted shortly after midnight.

Tiffany and the pilot called 911 after landing, he said, but the aircraft began to sink before emergency responders arrived.

“As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat,” Tiffany said.

The Wausau Fire Department rescued the two occupants and transported them to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Both Tiffany and the pilot sustained only minor injuries.

“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.”

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office said the private plane went down at approximately 9 p.m. Saturday. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin State Patrol also responded. The partially submerged aircraft was marked with a buoy, and officials asked boaters to keep their distance. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to investigate the incident.

The aircraft was identified as a four-seat Bonanza. The flight from La Crosse to Wausau covers approximately 110 miles. Tiffany did not say who owned the aircraft or identify the pilot.

Tiffany also did not say whether Wausau was the flight’s final destination. He lives approximately 40 miles north of the city.

“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 said. “An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”

Tiffany represents northern Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and is the Republican nominee for governor. He will face Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, the Democratic nominee, in the Nov. 3 election.

“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. I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones,” said Crowley in a statement.

The lake is part of the Wisconsin River and located adjacent to the airport.