8 rescued after seaplane makes hard landing into New York river

EIGHT people were safely rescued from a seaplane that made a hard landing in New York’s East River on Sunday afternoon, according to fire department officials.

The incident prompted a rapid response from first responders, though all passengers escaped without serious harm, a report by CNN.

​At approximately 12:01 p.m., the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) received reports of a seaplane making a hard landing in the water just north of the Williamsburg Bridge. The aircraft, a relatively new Kodiak 100, remained upright after touching down in the river between Manhattan and Brooklyn.

​Authorities confirmed that all eight individuals on board were quickly removed from the aircraft by FDNY responders. While two people reported minor injuries, both declined further medical attention at the scene.

According to flight records, the plane departed from the Town of East Hampton Airport at 11:24 a.m.

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​Emergency communication captured by ATC.com and reviewed by CNN revealed the urgency of the situation, with an NYPD helicopter pilot reporting, “Mayday, mayday, mayday—plane down in the water,” shortly after the incident occurred.

The helicopter crew noted that two civilian boats were already approaching the downed aircraft to assist before official responders arrived.

​According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the impact of the landing caused a wing strut to snap. The aircraft was recovered from the water and has since been towed back to the dock.(Jane Michelle Buenaventura, PIT Comm Intern)

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• #New York seaplane emergency landing East River incident
• #FDNY rescue operations East River plane crash response
• #Kodiak 100 aircraft hard landing USA aviation safety
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• #Williamsburg Bridge