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American Morning
Story of Tragedy, Survival
Aired March 04, 2003 - 07:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get you live right now to Albany International Airport for more on that incredible rescue story, a family vacation that turned tragic late Sunday night. Four members of one family died when their small plane crashed into western Massachusetts. Through a miracle, three survived 18 hours in the bitter cold before they were rescued.
Let's get to Albany right now. Sergeant Tom Corrigan, the pilot of that search plane that found the family, as well as a number of paramedics and the family physician right now and the entire search crew with us now live.
Good morning to all of you.
And, Sergeant, I want to know from you as a pilot, what did you spot as you approached that scene from the air?
SGT. TOM CORRIGAN, NEW YORK STATE POLICE, AVIATION UNIT: We found the location with direction-finding equipment, and once we moved in close, we had a visual on it. The aircraft was -- the cabin was intact completely, the wings were off it, but it looked like a survivable crash.
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: Is it true that you saw a 2-year-old boy waving at the time, and that's how you spotted the wreckage?
CORRIGAN: No, initially, the wreckage was spotted, and there was no person spotted, but when we moved in closer and started to scan the area, then I saw the 2-year-old waving from next to the airplane.
HEMMER: I want to get Ron Goodman, too, one of the paramedics with you there.
Ron, when you dropped down to the scene on the ground, what was your first concern in terms of keeping those who survived alive?
RON GOODMAN, PARAMEDIC, COLONIE EMS: Well, Charlie was already on the ground -- he was already on the ground, along with some civilian air patrol, and they brought the 2-year-old to me. So, my job was to get him packaged and get him up to the helicopter now and as soon as we could. Shortly after, they had found the 5-year-old boy, so I sent the two of them up together.
HEMMER: Wow! You mentioned Charlie. Let's get to your partner who helped out. The temperatures were absolutely frigid that night, 18 hours outside and exposed. What was your concern, Charlie?
CHARLIE RAPPAZZO, PARAMEDIC, COLONIE EMS: Well, as Ron said, we wanted to get them out as quick as we could. We had to extricate them out of the plane through the fuselage. That was one of our biggest problems was getting everyone out. They were covered with the clothing and debris and such that was there. So, once we saw movement and realized that there was more than one survivor, our big concern was getting them out as quick as we could.
HEMMER: Well, some people are describing this as a miracle that anyone survived. Four were pulled alive at the time. One, we are told, was the father, who later died at hospital.
Dr. Kathleen Donnelly, you will now be treating the three young boys who have survived. Can you give us an idea right now about what they are facing?
DR. KATHLEEN DONNELLY, PEDIATRIC PHYSICIAN, CRITICAL CARE UNIT: Well, certainly the fact that they survived until the rescue occurred was remarkable in and of itself. But in any patient suffering from severe hypothermia, there is a significant risk of cardiac arrest during their re-warming period. They remain in critical condition, and we'll have to take it an hour at a time at this point.
HEMMER: Best of luck to you, Doctor. Dr. Kathleen Donnelly and a number of paramedics there, Charles Rappazzo and Ron Goodman, also the sergeant, Tom Corrigan, who flew -- piloted that aircraft into that scene.
Job well done. Thanks for your time today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired March 4, 2003 - 07:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get you live right now to Albany International Airport for more on that incredible rescue story, a family vacation that turned tragic late Sunday night. Four members of one family died when their small plane crashed into western Massachusetts. Through a miracle, three survived 18 hours in the bitter cold before they were rescued.
Let's get to Albany right now. Sergeant Tom Corrigan, the pilot of that search plane that found the family, as well as a number of paramedics and the family physician right now and the entire search crew with us now live.
Good morning to all of you.
And, Sergeant, I want to know from you as a pilot, what did you spot as you approached that scene from the air?
SGT. TOM CORRIGAN, NEW YORK STATE POLICE, AVIATION UNIT: We found the location with direction-finding equipment, and once we moved in close, we had a visual on it. The aircraft was -- the cabin was intact completely, the wings were off it, but it looked like a survivable crash.
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: Is it true that you saw a 2-year-old boy waving at the time, and that's how you spotted the wreckage?
CORRIGAN: No, initially, the wreckage was spotted, and there was no person spotted, but when we moved in closer and started to scan the area, then I saw the 2-year-old waving from next to the airplane.
HEMMER: I want to get Ron Goodman, too, one of the paramedics with you there.
Ron, when you dropped down to the scene on the ground, what was your first concern in terms of keeping those who survived alive?
RON GOODMAN, PARAMEDIC, COLONIE EMS: Well, Charlie was already on the ground -- he was already on the ground, along with some civilian air patrol, and they brought the 2-year-old to me. So, my job was to get him packaged and get him up to the helicopter now and as soon as we could. Shortly after, they had found the 5-year-old boy, so I sent the two of them up together.
HEMMER: Wow! You mentioned Charlie. Let's get to your partner who helped out. The temperatures were absolutely frigid that night, 18 hours outside and exposed. What was your concern, Charlie?
CHARLIE RAPPAZZO, PARAMEDIC, COLONIE EMS: Well, as Ron said, we wanted to get them out as quick as we could. We had to extricate them out of the plane through the fuselage. That was one of our biggest problems was getting everyone out. They were covered with the clothing and debris and such that was there. So, once we saw movement and realized that there was more than one survivor, our big concern was getting them out as quick as we could.
HEMMER: Well, some people are describing this as a miracle that anyone survived. Four were pulled alive at the time. One, we are told, was the father, who later died at hospital.
Dr. Kathleen Donnelly, you will now be treating the three young boys who have survived. Can you give us an idea right now about what they are facing?
DR. KATHLEEN DONNELLY, PEDIATRIC PHYSICIAN, CRITICAL CARE UNIT: Well, certainly the fact that they survived until the rescue occurred was remarkable in and of itself. But in any patient suffering from severe hypothermia, there is a significant risk of cardiac arrest during their re-warming period. They remain in critical condition, and we'll have to take it an hour at a time at this point.
HEMMER: Best of luck to you, Doctor. Dr. Kathleen Donnelly and a number of paramedics there, Charles Rappazzo and Ron Goodman, also the sergeant, Tom Corrigan, who flew -- piloted that aircraft into that scene.
Job well done. Thanks for your time today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
