Key facts
- Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany sustained minor injuries after his plane made an emergency water landing on Lake Wausau.
- The plane lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport.
- Tiffany and the pilot swam to safety after exiting the submerging aircraft.
- The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident.
- Tiffany is endorsed by President Donald Trump in the Wisconsin gubernatorial race.
- Democratic candidate David Crowley wished Tiffany a quick recovery and praised the pilot's heroism.
Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany sustained minor injuries Saturday night when the single-engine Bonanza aircraft he was traveling in made an emergency water landing on Lake Wausau. The plane lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport, prompting the pilot, Leonard Boltz, to land on the lake.
According to statements from Tiffany and the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, both Tiffany and Boltz exited the aircraft as it began to submerge and swam to a shallow area. They then called 911 and were rescued by emergency responders in a fire department airboat shortly after 9 p.m. Both were taken to Aspirus Wausau Hospital and treated for minor injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the incident. The sheriff's office has placed a buoy near the submerged plane and is asking boaters to avoid the area until it can be removed.
Tiffany, who represents Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District and is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has been endorsed by President Donald Trump in the upcoming gubernatorial election. His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, posted on X, expressing gratitude that no one was more seriously harmed and commending the pilot's actions.