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Seaplane with Passengers Makes Hard Landing in New York City's East River

Published July 6, 2026 at 4:46 AM UTC

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On Sunday, July 5, 2026, a seaplane carrying multiple passengers made a hard landing in New York City's East River. The incident occurred around 12:01 p.m. near the marina at East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive in Manhattan. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) responded promptly to reports of the downed aircraft. Firefighters successfully removed at least eight individuals from the plane, with two passengers evaluated for minor injuries; however, at least one declined medical attention. The seaplane, which had taken off from the Hamptons, was later seen upright and being towed back to the dock. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an investigation into the incident, noting that the pilot of the Kodiak 100 seaplane made a hard landing in the East River near Brooklyn, causing a wing strut to snap. A preliminary accident report is expected to be released this week. This incident follows a similar event three weeks prior, when another seaplane crashed into the East River near Whitestone, Queens, on June 13. In that case, the FDNY rescued the pilot and one passenger, with no injuries reported. The FAA is expected to release a preliminary accident report for that incident as well.