Eight people were rescued from a Kodiak 100 seaplane after it made a hard landing in New York City's East River on Sunday afternoon. The pilot declared a mayday before the aircraft came down near the city's NY Skyport terminal.
The New York City Fire Department received a report of a plane in the water at 12:01 p.m. near East 23rd Street and FDR Drive. Fire crews arrived to find the seaplane upright in the water and removed all eight individuals aboard before the aircraft was towed to a nearby dock.
Two passengers sustained minor injuries but declined medical attention at the scene, according to the FDNY. No other injuries were immediately reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft and confirmed the pilot made a hard landing around noon local time, which resulted in a wing strut snapping. The seaplane had departed East Hampton Airport on Long Island and was en route to the Skyport seaplane terminal in Manhattan.
The NY Skyport, located on Manhattan's East Side, is the city's sole terminal for seaplanes, serving routes throughout the Northeast. The FAA is investigating the incident, noting that the preliminary information is subject to change.
Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot's mayday call and subsequent radio traffic from a New York City Police Department helicopter responding to the scene. Authorities have not yet identified the pilot or passengers, and the cause of the hard landing is under investigation.