At least eight people were rescued after a seaplane made a hard landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday, prompting a swift emergency response from local authorities.
The incident occurred around midday near the marina at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive in Manhattan. Fire officials said the Kodiak 100 seaplane remained upright after landing and was later towed back to the dock.
All eight occupants were safely evacuated by the New York Fire Department. Two people sustained minor injuries but declined medical treatment at the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot made a hard landing, causing one of the aircraft’s wing struts to break. The agency also confirmed that air traffic control was not providing services to the aircraft at the time of the incident.
According to reports, the seaplane was travelling from the Hamptons and approaching a Manhattan seaplane base when it struck a wave during landing, leading to the accident.
The FAA has launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
The accident comes just weeks after another seaplane was damaged in the East River during a failed take-off near Queens, although no serious injuries were reported in that earlier incident.
