Probe launched into 'Miracle on the Hudson'

An investigation will take place today into the cause of a plane crash which saw 155 passengers and crew plunge into the freezing waters of New York’s Hudson river last night.

In what was described as the 'Miracle on the Hudson', airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger managed to land the plane intact on the water from where emergency services and commercial ferries were able to transport all the survivors to safety.

Last night, the National Transportation Safety Board sent a 'Go Team' to New York to look into the cause of the incident, which took place at around 8.30pm last night Irish time.

Eye witness accounts suggest that the airliner could have been a victim of a bird strike.

Mr Sullenberger, 57, has been hailed as a hero for managing to bring the plane down with no loss of life to passengers on US Airways Flight 1549.

The Airbus 320 was on its way to Charlotte, North Carolina, from LaGuardia Airport when it came down in New York.

Chief executive of US Airways Doug Parker refused to speculate about the cause of the crash.

He said: “The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a internal investigation to determine the probable cause.”