Seaplane strikes wave and partially capsizes in New York's East River, all aboard rescued

What happened

A Kodiak 100 seaplane en route from East Hampton to the Skyport seaplane base at East 23rd Street made a hard landing on the East River around noon on Sunday. The aircraft struck a wave while touching down, partially capsizing and snapping a wing strut, according to the FAA. The plane, operated by Acadian Seaplanes through Blade Air, was carrying between eight and ten people, including the pilot and a crew member. Rough water conditions, linked to a storm the previous night and boat traffic, were cited as factors.

Rescue operation

The New York Fire Department received an emergency call at 12:01 p.m. A NYPD helicopter that was already airborne spotted the scene and relayed a mayday call: "Mayday, mayday, mayday. Plane down in the water." Fire and police boats arrived within minutes and rescued all aboard. Two passengers had minor injuries but declined medical treatment; the NYPD initially reported one minor injury, while the fire department said two. The aircraft remained upright and was later towed to a dock.

The pilot did a great job on making sure it didn't turn over. He pulled a Sully on that one.

Witness Marcus Hurlburt, who was running along the river, saw at least three people climb onto one of the plane's floats as the opposite wing sank deeper. He praised the pilot's skill, comparing him to Chesley Sullenberger, who landed a jet on the Hudson in 2009.

Passenger accounts

Video from inside the cabin captured passengers shouting "Oh my god" as the plane hit the water. Khloe Todd, 16, told CBS News she thought the aircraft would sink.

I thought we weren't going to make it. It was just crazy. I thought we were going to crash and drown.

Her 75-year-old grandmother, who had flown on this type of seaplane twice before without incident, said the pilot aborted the first landing attempt, circled, and then came down hard. "You just heard a jolt, a big jolt," she said.

Investigation and recent history

The FAA is investigating the cause of the hard landing. The Kodiak 100, built in 2025, is being examined. The incident follows a similar event on June 13, when a seaplane was hit by a wave during takeoff from the East River; no one was seriously injured. Last month, a small plane also crashed into the East River near the Throgs Neck Bridge without injuries.