A seaplane carrying eight passengers and two pilots made a hard landing in New York City's East River on Sunday morning, coming to rest partially submerged in the water. Video footage from inside the cabin of the Kodiak 100 aircraft shows the tense moments as the plane encountered rough conditions during its approach to the Skyport terminal near 23rd Street and FDR Drive.
The video captured a loud impact as the seaplane hit the choppy waters, followed by audible gasps from passengers. The aircraft rocked against the waves before coming to a stop, with nervous laughter audible in the background. Passengers could be heard exclaiming, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" as sirens grew louder.
Subsequent footage showed the plane floating with one wing submerged as the pilots instructed passengers to remain calm and keep their life vests accessible. Khloe Todd, 16, who was on the flight returning from a birthday party trip, described the incident as a "very bad" crash. She reported that her grandmother was shaken and experiencing pain in her ribs, back, and head, potentially requiring hospitalization. Todd expressed that the experience left her traumatized.
Emergency services arrived quickly at the scene. Officials stated that at least two individuals sustained minor injuries. After the passengers and pilots were safely removed, the aircraft was righted and towed to the docks.
Acadian Seaplanes, operating the flight through Blade Air, attributed the hard landing to choppy waters caused by a storm the previous night and the wake from passing boats. A company representative told The Daily Mail that wind could have also been a factor in the final moments of the approach.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing. This event occurs less than a month after another seaplane was involved in an incident on the East River, requiring rescue after being struck by a wave during takeoff.