According to a news report from www.thenewstribune.com, “When John Farrell takes his grandchildren on summertime boat trips, he first puts them through a safety test to see if they know how to react if someone goes overboard. The practice has proved valuable twice this year, including Tuesday’s rescue of two people whose plane crashed into Commencement Bay.”
“Farrell, who owns the Farrelli’s Pizza restaurant chain in the South Sound, was entertaining out-of-town guests on his 46-foot boat, the Grand Madison. As the yacht entered Commencement Bay, the group noticed a plane flying close to the water. “I remember commenting to my brother-in-law, ‘Wow, that’s a beautiful plane. It’s gliding, just like a bird,’” he said. “And it was beautiful. It was just gliding in the air. It kind of kept going down, and finally it landed in the water, “said the story. “You have that moment where you kind of blink, and you’re in shock.” They put the engine at full throttle and called the Coast Guard over VHF radio. They approached and found the plane’s pilot treading water and holding his mother, who apparently couldn’t swim. The plane had already sunk. Farrell threw a lifeline with a buoy attached and pulled the two out of the frigid water.”
