Eight people were safely rescued Sunday afternoon after a seaplane made a hard landing in New York City’s East River, drawing a rapid response from firefighters near Manhattan’s seaplane terminal, officials said.
The New York City Fire Department said it was alerted at 12:01 p.m. to reports of a plane in the water near the NY Skyport, located at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive in Manhattan.
When fire crews reached the scene, they found the seaplane upright in the East River. FDNY personnel removed all eight people who had been on board before the aircraft was brought back to a nearby dock.
Two civilians sustained minor injuries but declined medical treatment at the scene, according to the FDNY. No other injuries were immediately reported.
Emergency crews responded after a seaplane made a hard landing in New York City’s East River near the NY Skyport on July 5, 2026. All eight people aboard were rescued. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as a Kodiak 100 seaplane. The agency said the pilot made a hard landing in the East River at around noon local time, which caused a wing strut to break.
The seaplane had taken off from East Hampton Airport on Long Island and was traveling to the Skyport seaplane terminal in Manhattan, according to The New York Times and CNN.
A seaplane remains in the East River following a hard landing near Manhattan on July 5, 2026. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
The NY Skyport on Manhattan’s East Side is New York City’s only seaplane terminal, serving scheduled and charter flights to destinations throughout the Northeast.
The FAA said eight people were aboard the aircraft, which is registered as N726SH. The agency said it is investigating the incident and noted the information released Sunday is preliminary and subject to change.
Air traffic control recordings captured the moments surrounding the incident, including the pilot declaring a mayday before the aircraft came down in the river. Separate radio traffic captured a New York City Police Department helicopter responding to reports of a “plane down in the water.”
Firefighters and marine units respond after a seaplane came down in New York City’s East River near the NY Skyport on July 5, 2026. Two people suffered minor injuries, officials said. (Ryan Murphy/Getty Images)
Authorities have not identified the pilot or passengers, and it was not immediately clear what led to the hard landing.
Video from the scene showed first responders surrounding the aircraft as it floated upright in the East River while rescue crews worked to remove those aboard. Additional video showed the seaplane being towed back toward the dock after the rescue operation concluded.
The incident prompted a large emergency response to the East River waterfront as FDNY marine units and other first responders converged on the area.
The FAA directed questions regarding the people on board to local authorities. News Agency has reached out to the New York City Police Department for additional information.
