Seaplane Makes Hard Landing in East River, New York City

A seaplane with several passengers aboard experienced a hard landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday, according to officials. The incident led to a response from the FDNY following reports of an aircraft in the water at approximately 12:01 p.m. near the marina at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive in Manhattan.

The FDNY successfully removed at least eight individuals from the seaplane. Among them, two passengers were assessed for minor injuries, though one person declined medical attention, as noted by the NYPD. The seaplane had departed from the Hamptons and was later observed upright, being towed back to the dock, FDNY officials reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an investigation into the incident. The pilot of the Kodiak 100 seaplane executed a hard landing on the East River near Brooklyn at around noon on Sunday, July 5. This landing resulted in a snapped wing strut, which is a crucial component that stabilizes the airplane’s wing by connecting it to the main body.

The FAA plans to release a preliminary accident report within the week. This event follows another seaplane crash in the East River three weeks prior, on June 13, where FDNY responders used a boat to assist a pilot and one passenger after their plane went down near Whitestone, Queens. No injuries were recorded in that incident.