BY KAREN ROUSE NorthJersey.com STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK – More than 100 “Good Samaritan” mariners who rescued the passengers and crew of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 were praised today by Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Sen. Frank Lautenberg during a ceremony at the New York Waterway Terminal.

They were “in many instances risking their own safety to rescue” the stranded victims, Napolitano said of the group of professional civilian mariners, which included North Jersey residents employed by N.Y. Waterway.

There were two miracles that day, she said – the successful landing of the aircraft, and the rescue that followed. The incident could have been one of tragedy “had this rescue not been carried out with speed, agility and courage,” said Napolitano.

The U. S. Coast Guard, which hosted the ceremony, presented five companies with a Certificate of Merit. Those included Staten Island Ferry and NY Water Taxi.

In addition, Scott Koen of Rutherford was presented with a Coast Guard Meritorious Public Service Award, while the Coast guard Distinguished Public Service Award was presented to NY Waterway founder Arthur E. Imperatore.

Imperatore lavished praise on his employees, including Vincent Lombardi of Fairfield, captain of the Thomas Jefferson, and Capt. Britanny Catanzara, who rescued 26 people on the Thomas Kean vessel. “This is a day of honor for our people,” he said.

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