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Hudson River miracle 10 years on: ‘It made me a happier person’

After surviving a plane crash into New York's Hudson River, Pam Seagle's life changed.

After surviving a plane crash into New York's Hudson River, Pam Seagle's life changed. Photo: Getty

Surviving one of aviation’s most-celebrated accidents inspired some life-altering questions for Pam Seagle.

In the days after US Airways Flight 1549 splash-landed safely in New York’s Hudson River and into history, Ms Seagle knew her life had to change.

Like the many who came to the aid of the surviving 155 passengers and crew in the water that freezing day 10 years ago, Ms Seagle, then 42, would go on to become a helper.

“There was reflection,” the Bank of America executive told The New Daily from her home in Wilmington, North Carolina.

“Taking stock of: What am I doing? Am I in the right job? Am I spending the right amount of time with my family?”

The answers to those questions led her to moving to a beachside home with husband Todd and their two then-teenaged children – and having a long meeting with her boss: “I was able to say, ‘I need a job that gives me more purpose and is more fulfilling’.”

Today, Ms Seagle, 52, is the Senior Vice President of BoA’s Global Women’s Programs Executive, a role that includes advising women who run not-for-profit organisations.

“I’m helping women around the world,” she said proudly.

About 3pm on January 15, 2009, Ms Seagle, already a fearful flyer, took her seat in 12A on Flight 1549 in what was then a routine trip for her.

Pam Seagle takes her same seat in the crashed plane after it was placed in a museum.

Pam Seagle takes her seat after the plane was placed in a museum.

BoA had taken over Merrill Lynch in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and Ms Seagle was part of the bank’s transition team, regularly travelling between BoA’s HQ in Charlotte, North Carolina to Merrill Lynch in New York.

After the Airbus A320 took off at 3.24pm under the control of Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, 57, and First Officer Jeff Skiles, 49, it flew into a flock of Canada geese, many of which were sucked into the jet engines.

“I reached under my seat to pull out a book and I heard this bang,” Ms Seagle recalled.

“And I started to smell the smoke. The most frightening part was when the engines began to shut down and there was this loss of forward momentum.

“Someone said, ‘The right engine’s on fire,’ and then someone said, ‘No the left engine’s on fire’. So you realise both engines are on fire.”

Mr Sullenberger issued a mayday and requested an emergency landing. But with no thrust, the captain headed for the Hudson.

Captain Chesley Sullenberger in front of the crashed plane.

Captain Chesley Sullenberger and the plane he landed in the Hudson. Photo: Supplied

“I remember him saying, ‘This is your pilot, brace for impact’,” Ms Seagle said.

“And I’m thinking, this is really not good.”

Still, as the plane descended Ms Seagle said the cabin was eerily quiet, save for the voices of the flight attendants chanting, “Brace brace, heads down, stay down”.

She recalls no screaming. Only praying and crying. “There was a gentleman by the window who thought he’d be so kind as to do a countdown for the people who couldn’t see when we were going to hit the water – 10, 9, 8,” she said, mimicking the booming voice.

“Some people said it was reassuring, other people were like, ‘Holy hell’.”

Meanwhile, Ms Seagle contemplated the end.

“They say your whole life flashes before your eyes, but in my case there was this flash forward. This recognition of what this is going to do to the people I love and how it will impact them.”

Seconds later, after a successful but “hard” landing on the river, Ms Seagle fled the floating plane onto the wing, before ending up in the plane’s emergency slide/raft with other passengers, Mr Sullenberger and Mr Skiles.

The majority of survivors stood on the ditched plane’s wings. As they waited to be rescued by local ferry services, “A woman in the raft said, ‘We’re alive’,” Ms Seagle recalled.

“And I said, ‘Yeah, we’re alive’.”

The aftermath of US Airways Flight 1549 ditching into the Hudson River.

Survivors of the crash stood on the wings of the downed plane. Photo: Getty

The tears came the next day when she returned home with Todd to her 18-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter after a short stay in hospital.

“When I walked in our door, and I saw my children, I lost it,” she says.

She can expect more tears on January 15 when she joins her fellow surviving passengers, the celebrated “Sully”, other flight crew members and ferry rescuers for a 10-year anniversary gathering in Charlotte.

“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of people I haven’t seen in many years,” she said.

Though the experience has justifiably boosted her fear of flying, Ms Seagle now takes off more than ever in her role for the Global Women’s Program.

The job also allows her to work from home, giving her more time with her family: “I’ve been able to make changes that have made a happier Pam.”

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