U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican running for Wisconsin governor, says his small plane was forced to land in a lake and he had to swim to safety. Multiple outlets report that Tiffany and the pilot escaped the aircraft after the emergency landing and ended up in the water.
The incident occurs late Saturday as the light plane approaches Wausau, with outlets citing a mechanical issue and loss of power. NPR and BBC say the mechanical problem led the pilot to make the emergency landing; the New York Times and Bloomberg report that Tiffany sustains minor injuries. Several reports add that Tiffany and the pilot reach help by calling 911 from near the aircraft, and that emergency responders rescue them, with PBS describing rescue by fire department airboat.
Outlets differ mainly in emphasis and framing, ranging from descriptions of the dunking/swimming sequence and safety calls to recollections of the moment of impact, but they agree on the core facts: the plane loses power, lands in Lake Wausau, Tiffany swims out, and the pilot and Tiffany are rescued.
