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Seaplane Makes Hard Landing in New York's East River, Passengers Safe

Published July 6, 2026 at 2:57 PM UTC

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On Sunday, July 5, 2026, a seaplane carrying eight passengers made a hard landing in New York City's East River, just after noon. The incident occurred between Brooklyn and Manhattan, near the Williamsburg Bridge. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) responded promptly to the scene, receiving a call at 12:01 p.m. about the plane in the water. Upon arrival, FDNY units safely removed all eight individuals from the aircraft. Two passengers sustained minor injuries but declined medical attention at the scene. The plane, a Kodiak 100 seaplane built last year, remained upright after the landing and was towed back to a dock. Social media images showed the white seaplane leaning to one side, with its left wingtip partially submerged, while a helicopter hovered overhead. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the hard landing caused a wing strut to snap. The FAA has initiated an investigation into the incident. The seaplane had departed from East Hampton Airport at 11:24 a.m. on the day of the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is also expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the hard landing to determine why the seaplane was unable to make a smooth touchdown. The incident caused alarm among bystanders, but fortunately, all passengers were rescued safely, and only minor injuries were reported. The FAA and NTSB are working to determine the cause of the hard landing and to prevent similar incidents in the future.