Club Med redeveloper Carl Bazarian has spoken of the terrifying moment when the pilot of the US Airways flight plunging towards the Hudson River told all on board to prepare for crash landing.

"I knew he was going to ditch in the water and I knew our chances were slim to none," said Mr. Bazarian, speaking to The Royal Gazette last night.

After losing power shortly after taking off from New York's La Guardia airport heading for North Carolina, Flight 1549 rapidly lost altitude.

"When the engine blew the plane dropped. We were all nervous and concerned but assumed there was a second engine," said Mr. Bazarian, who is involved in plans to build a $300 million Park Hyatt resort at the site of the former Club Med in St. George's.

From his seat he could see flames from one engine and said there was smell of smoke inside the cabin.

"We thought he had to be heading back to La Guardia."

With tension increasing as passengers realised the flight was in trouble, Mr. Bazarian could see that even as the plane was dropping from the sky it was following the path of the river below. He assumed it was the East River and the pilot was heading back to the airport. It wasn't, it was the Hudson River on the opposite side of Manhattan Island.

It is thought that shortly after take-off the plane collided with a flock of birds that were sucked into both engines causing a total loss of power. Despite there being no engine power, Mr. Bazarian said there was an engine-type sound coming from somewhere in the aircraft, but it was clear there was no forward thrust. As the plane dropped closer to the water the hotel developer felt certain his chance of survival was zero, fearing the plane would flip over if it struck the water at the wrong angle.

The pilot made only one announcement during the drama and it came seconds before the crash into the river.

"The pilot said 'Prepare for impact'. One of the flight attendants screamed," said Mr. Bazarian. "Then there was a big jolt.

"There was no real hysteria or panic. There were a few screams when we hit, but the only negative thing was when some people started grabbing their bags and computer cases."

Mr. Bazarian, like most of the others, left everything behind on the plane. "All my files, everything – but all that was irrelevant."

According to reports passengers behaved in an orderly way as they escaped from the plane as it started to sink in the chilly waters.

Mr. Bazarian said: "A guy called Josh got up and pushed the door out and open. I got out in about a minute and we walked onto the wing. The water was washing around."We noticed there was a lifeboat but it was upside down and of no use. The wing was filling up with people and we pulled the lifeboat in and turned it back around and got the women and children into it."He said everyone was feeling the cold, the weather in Manhattan was freezing at about 20 degrees and the water was only 35."There was anxiety as we stood on the wing. It was slippery. Everyone was holding one another."While all this was going on a variety of ferries using the Hudson River made their way to the stricken plane and started pulling people aboard. Mr. Bazarian could not praise them highly enough."They were so supportive. They seemed under-manned, but they were great."The passengers were taken to a shelter where they were given blankets and food as they were 'processed' and 're-processed' by the authorities. All 155 people on board the plane survived with only a few minor injuries reported."They were good to us. A group of us from Charlotte really bonded together and nine of us elected to take the last seats on a late flight to Charlotte later that same day."Mr. Bazarian said getting on to a plane so soon after the crash was a matter of having trust in the air crew and wanting to complete his journey. And speaking earlier in the day on CBS' The Early Show he said of the aircraft's pilot Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger: "He was brilliant. We all want to meet him."n Investigation begins - Page 6