GOP Rep. Tiffany Survives Plane Crash, Swims to Safety in Lake Wausau!

A Republican congressman from Wisconsin, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, recently experienced a harrowing ordeal when the light aircraft he was traveling in made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau late Saturday. Both Tiffany and his pilot, Leonard Boltz, had to swim to safety after the dramatic incident.

The congressman was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the plane began to lose power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport. Faced with a critical situation, the pilot skillfully executed an emergency landing in Lake Wausau. Tiffany recounted the moments after impact, stating that they called 911 while the plane began to submerge.

They quickly exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where they awaited rescue.

Emergency responders from the Marathon County Sheriff's Office were dispatched just before 9 p.m. and arrived swiftly. A fire department airboat was used to rescue Tiffany and Boltz from the shallow waters shortly after 9 p.m.

Both men were transported to a nearby hospital, where they received treatment for minor injuries and were subsequently released. Tiffany's campaign later confirmed he sustained a cut above his right eye that required stitches. Following the incident, authorities placed a no-wake buoy near the submerged aircraft, which remains in the lake, and boaters have been advised to avoid the area until the plane can be safely removed.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced it will investigate the incident, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is monitoring the FAA's assessment to determine if the damage warrants their involvement. Rep. Tiffany is currently running for governor on the Republican ticket in Wisconsin and has received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.

Democratic candidate David Crowley extended his well wishes to Tiffany, hoping for a “quick recovery,” and also lauded the “heroism of the pilot” in a post on X.

The aircraft involved was identified as a single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza.

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