Eight Rescued After Seaplane Makes Hard Landing in Manhattan’s East River
A Kodiak 100 seaplane with eight passengers aboard made a hard landing in New York's East River on Sunday morning whilst returning from a trip to the Hamptons. The impact damaged the aircraft, which began to capsize in the river as frightened passengers experienced the harrowing incident.
Fire department crews responded rapidly to the scene and extracted all eight occupants from the stricken aircraft. Two passengers sustained minor injuries during the emergency, whilst the remaining six escaped unharmed. The swift rescue prevented what could have escalated into a far more serious maritime emergency.
- Kodiak 100 seaplane carrying eight people made a hard landing in Manhattan's East River on Sunday morning
- All eight passengers were rescued by fire department with two sustaining minor injuries
- Aircraft was returning from the Hamptons when the incident occurred
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Two seaplanes hit the East River on Sunday morning, part of a scheduled commuter service that ferries passengers between New York City and Long Island's Hamptons, a well-known summer getaway for wealthy New Yorkers. Seaplane operators such as this one land directly on the river using pontoons instead of wheels, a mode of travel that has grown popular for beating weekend road traffic out of the city.
This particular flight, a Kodiak 100 carrying eight people, came down hard enough to damage the plane, which then began tipping over in the water. New York Fire Department crews, who are trained and equipped for water rescues in the city's rivers, reached the scene quickly and pulled all eight people out before the situation could worsen.
Incidents involving small aircraft on the East River draw attention partly because of the route's popularity with commuters and tourists, and partly because past seaplane and helicopter accidents in New York's waterways have sometimes proved fatal, making the outcome of any landing there a matter of public concern.
Coverage
- BBC World — Eight rescued from seaplane that made ‘hard landing’ in Manhattan river
- Daily Mail — Harrowing footage from INSIDE plane shows terror-stricken passengers plunge into NYC river after Hamptons trip: Screams of ‘mayday’ as they brace during crash