Seaplane Crash in New York City’s East River
Firefighters acted swiftly to rescue eight individuals after a seaplane made a rough landing in New York City’s East River on Sunday afternoon, near the seaplane terminal. This incident occurred around noon, and the New York City Fire Department responded after receiving reports of a plane in distress near the New York Skyport.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the seaplane floating upright, and they managed to evacuate all eight people aboard before the aircraft was towed to a nearby dock. It seems that two civilians suffered minor injuries but declined treatment at that time, and there were no additional injuries reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as a Kodiak 100 seaplane. According to initial reports, the pilot executed a hard landing, resulting in a broken wing strut. The plane had taken off from East Hampton Airport on Long Island and was bound for the Skyport Seaplane Terminal in Manhattan.
New York Skyport is the only seaplane terminal in the city, offering various scheduled and charter flights within the Northeast. The FAA noted that there were eight passengers on board, and they are currently investigating the event, categorizing the information released as preliminary and subject to updates.
Communications captured by air traffic control indicate that the pilot issued a Mayday call just before the plane descended into the river. Additional transmissions included reports from a police helicopter responding to the scene regarding a “plane in the water.”
As of now, authorities have not disclosed the identities of the pilot or passengers, nor have they determined what caused the abrupt landing. Footage from the scene depicted emergency responders surrounding the plane while they worked to safely evacuate the individuals. After the rescue operation, the seaplane was subsequently towed towards the pier.
This incident spurred a significant emergency response, with fire and marine rescue teams converging on the waterfront area. The FAA has instructed inquiries about the passengers and crew to be directed to local authorities, and efforts are ongoing to gather more information from the New York City Police Department.
