We've all seen lots a news coverage of this event. Praise has been heaped upon the flight crew and deservedly so. There has never been a crash into water of a major airliner without fatalities. Yet there is an important aspect in this event that seems to me to be underreported.
Once again the commerical ferries in the Manhattan area rose to the occassion. On September 11, 2001, these folks, along with private vessels, took part in the one of the unsung miracles of that day, The spontaneous waterborne evacuation of lower Manhattan helped almost 500,000 souls escape from the island during the terror attacks. Yesterday, they responded again, reaching the crash site before the police or EMS. 14 vessels helped in the rescue operation. Commuters on the ferries helped, too, sharing the jackets and assisting in the rescue.
A lot is said about the "attitude" of New Yorkers, but this event and 9/11 have shown us their true colors.
May we all respond as well as these selfless folks when our time comes.
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