NEW YORK — A seaplane carrying eight people made a hard landing in New York City's East River on Sunday, prompting a swift rescue operation that brought all occupants safely ashore, with two people sustaining minor injuries, city officials said.
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) said emergency crews responded shortly after noon to reports of an aircraft in the water near East 23rd Street along the FDR Drive in Manhattan. Firefighters and other first responders removed all eight people from the aircraft, and the plane was later towed back to a nearby dock.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as a Kodiak 100 seaplane and said the pilot made a hard landing on the East River, causing a wing strut to snap. The agency said air traffic control was not providing services to the aircraft at the time of the incident and has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the landing.
FDNY officials said at least two people suffered minor injuries. Authorities said emergency medical personnel evaluated those injured, and no fatalities or life-threatening injuries were reported. Officials later confirmed all passengers had been safely rescued.
According to city authorities, the incident occurred just after 12 p.m. local time. Video recorded after the landing showed the aircraft remaining upright in the water with one wing partially submerged as emergency boats surrounded it.
Air traffic control recordings released publicly captured the pilot issuing a Mayday distress call before the aircraft touched down on the river. Subsequent radio transmissions from responding aircraft indicated everyone aboard had been removed from the seaplane following the landing.
Flight records cited by multiple U.S. media outlets indicated the aircraft had departed from East Hampton on Long Island before the incident. Authorities have not identified the pilot or passengers, and no immediate information was released regarding what led to the hard landing.
The FAA said investigators will examine the aircraft and review available evidence to determine the cause of the incident. Officials had not announced a timetable for completing the investigation as of Sunday evening.
