U.S. briefing

Tom Tiffany says he survived emergency landing in Lake Wausau

The Wisconsin congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate said he and a pilot suffered minor injuries after their small plane lost power Saturday night.

Tom Tiffany wearing glasses, a dark suit and a red tie, with a U.S. flag behind him
Tom Tiffany in a dark suit and red tie, with a U.S. flag in the background.

U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, said he and a pilot escaped with minor injuries after their small plane lost power and made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau on Saturday night.

Tiffany said he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the plane lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport. In a statement posted on X, he said the pilot brought the aircraft down onto the water.

After the landing, Tiffany said, they called 911. As water began to submerge the plane, they got out and swam to a shallow area. They waited there until emergency responders reached them by boat, he said.

Tiffany said the Wausau Fire Department and other first responders took the pair out of the water and transported them to Aspirus Wausau Hospital.