Tom Tiffany sustained minor injuries after the plane he was traveling in made an emergency landing in Lake Wausau Saturday night and began to sink, the GOP gubernatorial candidate said in a statement.

Tiffany said the plane lost power while approaching the Wausau airport after returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner, and the pilot made an emergency water landing.

Tiffany said as the plane began to submerge, he and the pilot exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where they waited for emergency responders to reach them by boat. Both had minor injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment.

According to the FAA, a Beechcraft K35 crashed into Lake Wausau around 8:50 p.m. with two people on board. The agency will investigate.

“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side,” Tiffany said in a statement overnight. “An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”

In an update Sunday morning, Tiffany’s campaign said he suffered a laceration above his right eye that required stitches and was released from the hospital. The campaign said the pilot also was released.

Dem gubernatorial candidate David Crowley posted on social media he was grateful no one was seriously hurt in the incident, “which could have been a tragedy if not for the heroism of the pilot. I wish them and the Congressman a quick recovery and that they can find solace with their loved ones.”