WORLD> America
Crews hoist ditched plane from Hudson River
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-18 15:30


Emergency crew members work around the wreckage of the US Airways airplane that crashed in the Hudson River, as the tail fin and left wing stick out of the icy waters while awaiting it's removal, in New York January 17, 2009. [Agencies] Crash landing on Hudson River

An emergency slide still hung from the plane; nearby, a compartment door was open, with some luggage still visible inside. A gash extended from the base of the plane toward the windows. And in places, the skin of the aircraft was simply gone.

After a day struggling with the icy waters and the immense weight of the craft, the mood on the shoreline turned festive with the successful operation. Following the long work to secure the plane, people shook hands and investigators took snapshots, while police helicopters hovered overhead.

Crews later retrieved the plane's black boxes, which were filled with fresh water, packed into blue coolers and were to be sped immediately to Washington.