Coast Guard rescues two people after small plane crashes in water near Connecticut airport

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two people from the water after a small plane crashed near a Connecticut airport.

A Piper PA-32 carrying two people declared an emergency on Sunday while in communication with New York Air Traffic Control before crashing into Long Island Sound, south of Tweed New Haven Airport, just before 10:30 a.m., the airport posted on X.

The plane left from the Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Bridgeport and was heading to an unspecified destination, officials said. Following its emergency declaration, the plane was redirected to Tweed New Haven Airport for an emergency landing, just eight miles away.

While the airport's control tower and ground personnel activated its emergency response protocols and notified relevant authorities, the plane crashed in the water, where the two people were rescued by the Coast Guard.

The two people, who were both in stable condition, were taken to the Stony Creek Pier for EMS support before being brought to a local hospital for evaluation of minor injuries, Branford Police Department said in a statement, Fox News reported.

The plane was registered to an owner from Newtown, Connecticut, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. The names of the plane's owner and occupants have not been released yet, and the FAA is investigating.

"We are deeply relieved that both individuals were safely recovered and extend our sincere gratitude to all federal, state, and local responders for their swift and coordinated response," the airport wrote in a statement.