In this potential dramatic incident, I think that the pilots and
passengers were also very lucky.

I remember pictures of another ditching during winter, (I am not sure
it was the Hudson) were there were many survivors from the ditching
itself but.....most of them died by hypothermia because the water was
freezing. The time that rescue came....it was too late. Only a few
were able to reach ground thanks to the courage of some people would
could help them from ground.