July 5, 2026

Seaplane Makes Hard Landing in New York City’s East River

A seaplane carrying multiple passengers made a hard landing in the East River, New York City, on Sunday, according to officials.

The FDNY received reports of the incident around 12:01 p.m. The location was off the marina at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive in Manhattan. FDNY teams rescued at least eight people from the plane.

Two individuals were evaluated for minor injuries. However, at least one refused medical attention, as confirmed by the NYPD.

The seaplane had departed from the Hamptons. It was later seen upright as FDNY officials towed it back to the dock.

The Federal Aviation Administration plans to investigate. A Kodiak 100 seaplane made a hard landing near Brooklyn at about noon local time on Sunday, July 5. A wing strut snapped during the incident.

A wing strut is a pole that connects the airplane’s wing to the main body of the plane. It helps support the wing.

The FAA is expected to release a preliminary accident report soon.

Notably, another seaplane crashed into the East River three weeks ago. On June 13, FDNY rescued a pilot and a passenger after their plane went down near Whitestone, Queens. No injuries were reported in that incident.

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