Rep. Tom Tiffany from Wisconsin recounted a harrowing incident where he and a pilot had to swim to safety. The small plane they were in made an emergency landing in a lake after losing power.
On a Saturday evening, Tiffany was on a single-engine plane nearing Wausau Downtown Airport when the aircraft’s power failed. The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office reported that pilot Leonard Boltz executed an emergency landing on Lake Wausau. Tiffany shared in a post on X that as the plane submerged, they exited and swam to a shallower spot to await rescue by boat.
Tiffany, known as Wisconsin’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, was on his way back from a La Crosse County event in Onalaska. The 911 call came from one of the plane’s occupants, who managed to call while standing atop the submerged plane, according to Lt. Cory Gladden of the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency responders found Tiffany and Boltz approximately 20 minutes later. Initial reports suggested mechanical failure as the cause. Tiffany mentioned receiving stitches above his right eye and being discharged from the hospital. Boltz also received treatment for minor injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct investigations into the incident.
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