A seaplane carrying eight people came down hard in New York City's East River on Sunday around noon, sending emergency responders rushing to the scene and leaving two passengers with minor injuries.
The white Kodiak 100 aircraft made what the New York City fire department described as a "hard landing," tilting precariously as it settled into the water. Photos posted to social media captured the dramatic moment, showing the plane leaning sharply to one side with its left wing dipped into the river as a helicopter circled overhead. Fire department crews managed to right the aircraft and tow it back to the dock.
Two passengers received treatment for minor injuries following the incident. One of them, 75-year-old Ada Todd, told local news she was shaken but fortunate to survive the ordeal. "I'm in shock, in lots of pain, but happy to be alive," she said from the hospital.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the aircraft involved was a Kodiak 100 and said the hard landing caused a swing strut to snap. The FAA also noted that air traffic control was not providing services to the aircraft at the time of the incident. The agency has opened an investigation into what caused the rough landing.
A radio transmission recorded during the response captured the urgency of the moment. A New York police helicopter pilot's voice crackled over the airways announcing the emergency: "Mayday, mayday, mayday, we have a plane down on the water."
Reports indicate the seaplane had been traveling from East Hampton on Long Island before the incident occurred.
Author James Rodriguez: "Eight people could have faced far worse in that river, and the fact that only minor injuries resulted from a hard landing like that is genuinely fortunate for everyone aboard."
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