If the crash Wednesday night of a plane into the Potomac River is reminiscent to Mainers, it’s for good reason.
A Cape Elizabeth woman was one of five survivors of the last plane to slam into the Potomac in 1982.
Priscilla Tirado was on Air Florida Flight 90 with her husband and her baby when it crashed into the icy river Jan. 13, 1982.
When Tirado lost her grip on a life ring, she was rescued by Lenny Skutnik, an employee of the Congressional Budget Office, who jumped into the river from a nearby bridge and grabbed her as she floundered in the water, about to drown.
As passengers were being rescued, Tirado was too weak to take hold of the line dropped from a helicopter.
Skutnik – one of hundreds of bystanders – dove into the icy water and brought her to the river bank.
Skutnik was invited 13 days later by President Reagan to the State of the Union address and honored for his heroic action.
Tirado’s husband and baby died in the crash, among 74 killed in the tragedy.
This crash was THE BERY FIRST THING I thought about when I heard the news .
It’s like how history will eventually repeat its self . The same week as last time ?
So very very tragic so very sad .