Seaplane carrying passengers makes hard landing in East River, FDNY says

A seaplane carrying multiple passengers experienced a hard landing in New York City's East River on Sunday afternoon. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) responded to the scene around 12:01 p.m. near the marina at East 23rd Street and the FDR Drive in Manhattan.

FDNY units successfully rescued at least eight individuals from the aircraft. According to the NYPD, two passengers were evaluated for minor injuries, although one declined medical attention. The seaplane, identified as a Kodiak 100, was later seen upright and being towed back to a dock.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced it will investigate the incident. The agency stated that the pilot made a hard landing causing a wing strut, a component connecting the wing to the plane's body, to snap. This is not the first seaplane incident in the East River recently; another seaplane crashed three weeks prior on June 13, though no injuries were reported in that case.