Aces for the pilots and crew.

Fly-by-wire is great but they doesn't actually fly the plane during ditching. Cruising at altitude and routine takeoffs and landings it can help with and it takes a good part of the workload off the pilots. It works to keeps the pilots from doing anything overtly stupid like exceeding the flight envelope the frame can handle.

In this case I think the pilots can take pretty much 100% of the credit for remaining calm, sizing up the situation and executing a near textbook water landing. It wouldn't have taken much for the landing to have gone in sideways, cracked up and sunk in few seconds.

While we are handing out accolades don't overlook the stewards and stewardesses. While the pilots are working the airframe they are in charge of handling the passengers. They calm them down, reassure any they can, maintain order, provide leadership at critical moments, coaching, directing, and herding the passengers to the exits and making sure none are left behind.

The ferry pilots also get credit for being alert and rendering aid in the finest maritime tradition. They didn't have to do it. Nobody forced them and it wasn't their job but when the time came they went to help any way they could. Many passengers were reported to have stepped from the wings straight onto the boats.

Good job all.