Seaplane with passengers on board makes hard landing in East River, NYC fire department says

A seaplane with multiple passengers on board made a hard landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday, officials said. 

The FDNY said it responded to reports of a plane down in the water at around 12:01 p.m. off the marina at East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive in Manhattan.

At least eight people were removed from the plane by FDNY units and two were being evaluated for minor injuries, though at least one refused medical attention, the NYPD said. 

The seaplane, which had taken off in the Hamptons, was later seen upright and being towed back to the dock, FDNY officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate after “the pilot of a Kodiak 100 seaplane made a hard landing in the East River near Brooklyn, New York, at about noon local time on Sunday, July 5, causing a wing strut to snap.”

A wing strut is a sturdy pole that connects the airplane’s wing to the main body and helps hold the wing up.

The FAA is expected to post a preliminary accident report some time this week.

Another seaplane crashed into the East River three weeks ago.

On June 13, the FDNY took a pilot and one passenger onto a boat after their plane went down near Whitestone, Queens.

No injuries were reported in that incident.