US congressman swims to safety after his plane is forced to land on a lake

What the report says

Wisconsin Republican Rep. Tom Tiffany and a pilot were forced to swim to safety after their small plane made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau, according to BBC World News and local authorities. Tiffany said the aircraft developed a mechanical problem and lost power as it was approaching Wausau Downtown Airport on Saturday night, prompting the pilot to set it down on the lake.

The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office said the two people aboard the Beechcraft K35 were able to exit the plane as it began to sink and reach a shallow area before being rescued by a Wausau Fire Department airboat about 15 minutes later. Tiffany reported minor injuries, including a small cut above his right eye, and the pilot also had minor injuries.

Tiffany, who is also the state’s Republican nominee for governor, said he had been traveling home from a dinner in La Crosse County. Emergency crews remained involved after the rescue, and the plane was still in the lake while efforts to remove it continued. The sheriff’s office said the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate the incident.

The episode highlights the risks of small aircraft emergencies and the rapid response often needed on water landings, especially when mechanical failures leave little time to react.