Connecticut

Connecticut plane crash survivors OK after aircraft sinks in sound

Published

9 months ago

June 2, 2025

Connecticut plane crash survivors OK after aircraft sinks in sound

The pilot of a small plane that was about to crash managed to land it safely in the cool, choppy waters of Long Island Sound off Connecticut and called 911 to provide his precise coordinates before the aircraft sank, authorities said Monday.

The Coast Guard pulled two people wearing lifejackets from the water shortly before 11 a.m. on Sunday, about a half-hour after the plane went down a few miles off the coast of Branford, Connecticut, officials said. The survivors were treated for minor injuries and hypothermia symptoms, and brought to a hospital, the Branford Fire Department said.

“We arrived shortly after the Coast Guard,” Branford Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney said. “The Coast Guard did a great job in responding to the area, retrieving the people out of the water before things got worse. And the pilot obviously did a really good job of landing the plane in choppy seas. Those outcomes don’t always come out as well as this did.”

The water temperature at the time was about 60 degrees F, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Mahoney said the seas were a choppy 3 to 6 feet.

The single-engine Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six took off from Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, Connecticut, shortly before 10:14 a.m. and was in the air for about 12 minutes when it went down, according to the flight-tracking company FlightAware.

About 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot declared an emergency and contacted air traffic controllers in New York, who directed them to try to land about 8 miles away at Tweed-New Haven Airport, according to Andrew King, a spokesperson for Avports, which manages Tweed-New Haven.

Tweed-New Haven officials prepared a runway for a possible emergency landing. But air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane, King said.

Mahoney said after the plane went into the water, the pilot used a cellphone to call 911 and report his plane crashed into Long Island Sound and was taking on water. The aircraft was completely submerged when rescuers arrived.

State and federal records indicate the plane is owned by a limited-liability company based in Newtown, Connecticut, and the company’s principal is James Edwards. Edwards declined to comment Monday.

The crash occurred near Outer Island, an archipelago of about two dozen islands off the Connecticut coast.

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was waiting for the recovery of the aircraft to determine the level of damage before deciding whether an NTSB investigation is warranted.

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Connecticut

Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

Published

8 hours ago

March 4, 2026

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Multiple cars involved in crash on I-84 in Hartford

A multi-vehicle crash temporarily close Interstate 84 on Tuesday night.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. and involved four cars, according to the Hartford Fire Department.

Fire crews arrived at the scene and helped one of the drivers who was trapped. The driver was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Four other people reported minor injuries but declined ambulance treatment at the scene, officials said.

I-84 East was temporarily shut down as crews responded but has since reopened.

The Connecticut State Police is investigating the crash.

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Connecticut

Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

Published

20 hours ago

March 3, 2026

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Sleet, freezing rain leading to treacherous travel in parts of Connecticut

As the snow turns to sleet and freezing rain in parts of the state this afternoon, it is causing some treacherous travel on Connecticut roads.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is reporting several crashes.

There are crashes on both sides of Interstate 691 in Meriden.

A tractor-trailer jackknifed on the eastbound side of I-691 between Exit 5 and 3, closing the left lane. On the westbound side, a single-vehicle crash closed the left lane.

There is a two-vehicle crash on I-91 North in Middletown between Exits 20 and 21. The left and center lanes are closed.

A multi-vehicle crash has closed lanes of I-84 East in Waterbury between Exits 25 and 25A. There is a second crash on I-84 East in Southington near Exit 30.

In Cromwell, a two-vehicle crash closed the right lane of Route 9 North in Cromwell.

On Route 9 South, a crash closed a lane on the southbound side.

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Connecticut

The Great Westport Sandwich Contest kicks off with event at Old Mill Grocery

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The Great Westport Sandwich Contest kicks off with event at Old Mill Grocery

People in Westport have the chance to pick the best thing between sliced bread.

The Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce held a kick-off event at Old Mill Grocery on Monday for The Great Westport Sandwich Contest.

The contest runs throughout March with 21 restaurants, delis and markets competing in 10 categories to be crowned the best sandwich maker.

Residents can vote in the following categories: Best chicken, best steak, best vegetarian, best combo, best club, best NY deli, best pressed sandwich, best breakfast sandwich, best wrap, and best fish/seafood sandwich.

After people sample sandwiches, they can vote for their favorites in each category on the chamber’s website. They will also be placed into a drawing to win a free sandwich from one of the 10 winners.

“Of course, the goal is to have people come to Westport and check out restaurants, our markets and our delis. This is a great promotion. I mean it is a competition, but mostly it’s to bring people to the restaurants. It also gives a great community activity because they are the ones who get to vote who makes the best one,” says Matthew Mandell, the chamber’s executive director.

Winners will be announced in April and receive a plaque.

The chamber has held similar contests to determine what establishment has the best pizza, burger, soup and salad.

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