By now, we’ve all heard of Chesley Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who saved the lives of all 155 passengers on USAirways Flight 1549. But there’s another hero in this story: 19 year old Brittany Catanzaro.
Catanzaro is the first female (and the youngest person) to ever hold the position of ferry captain for New York Waterway, the company that owns the ferries that transport passengers back and forth across the Hudson River. When Flight 1549 hit the water on Thursday, Catanzaro “immediately … turned around and steered toward” the plane. Her crew, whom Catanzaro is clearly proud of, helped 24 passengers safely escape the freezing water. “They were the ones who were down there pulling people out of the water,” Catanzaro says, “When I saw the people hugging my crew, that’s one of the moments that really sticks with me.”
Brittany Catanzaro, First Female Ferry Captain for New York Waterway and Hero to US Airways Flight 1549 [FindingDulcinea]