US Coast Guard rescues 4 people from downed plane

NEW ORLEANS – The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued four people from a downed plane in Louisiana.

A U.S. Coast Guard release says four people were travelling in the Piper PA-34 twin-engine plane from the Louisiana towns of Slidell to Patterson on Tuesday when the plane began to run low on fuel.

Authorities say the pilot shut the engines down to conserve fuel and made an emergency landing in the Atchafalaya River, about 17 miles (27 kilometres) south of Patterson.

A helicopter was dispatched from the Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans, hoisted the four people into the chopper, and took them to Patterson.

One person suffered a minor arm injury.