Wisconsin congressman Tom Tiffany suffered minor injuries after the plane he was travelling in made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau, he said.
Mr Tiffany, who is running for governor of Wisconsin, said the aircraft lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport after he had attended the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner.
As the plane began to submerge, Mr Tiffany and the pilot escaped and swam to a shallow area, where they waited for emergency responders.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, and all of the first responders who came to our aid so quickly,” Mr Tiffany said.
He added: “Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.”
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office initially reported that a private plane had gone down in Lake Wausau at about 9pm local time. The investigation has been handed over to the Federal Aviation Authority.
Mr Tiffany later said: “God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side. An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”
His Democratic opponent, David Crowley, said he was “grateful to God that Congressman Tiffany and no one else was hurt in this horrifying incident, which could have been a tragedy if not for the heroism of the pilot.”
