Saturday, January 17, 2009

The Wonderfully Obligatory Post



Not even sure where to begin.

I'm sure a higher-resolution video will manage to surface eventually, but this one gets more amazing every time I see it.

At 3:31:02 we see the plane enter from the left, already broaching the water.

By 3:31:41, after the Coast Guard camera zooms in, we already see a good number of people evacuated to both wings.

At 3:33:58, we see just how fast the Hudson River's current is actually moving.

At 3:34:42, we see the first ferry boat reach the plane to provide assistance. Let's do the math:

3:34:42

-3:31:02

_________

0:03:40

I'm downright blown away by this. 155 souls, including one infant. Saved. Quite possibly the most gratifying thing I will see for a very long time.

Honorable mention here. Notice how that ferry boat races to the plane, makes the proximal arrival, and immediately assumes a congruent, downward current trajectory with the plane. Those crew members--all of them--the pilot, the flight attendants, the rescuers--every last one of them--are my heroes.

-R

1 comment:

carandavis said...

thanks for posting this. i hadn't seen it. fascinating! what an amazing event.