A seaplane went down in New York City’s East River on Sunday, triggering a fast water-rescue response near Manhattan.
Early reports said at least 10 people were rescued after the aircraft hit the water.
Authorities later described the incident as a hard landing involving a Kodiak 100 seaplane.
Either way, the key point is the one everyone wants to hear first: no fatalities have been reported.
JUST IN: Plane crashes in East River, New York City pic.twitter.com/D2ITH7ptLx
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) July 5, 2026
CBS News New York reported that FDNY crews responded around 12:01 p.m. to reports of a plane down in the water off the marina at East 23rd Street and FDR Drive in Manhattan.
The outlet said at least eight people were removed from the plane by FDNY units, with two being evaluated for minor injuries as the response continued.
CBS also reported that the seaplane was upright and being towed back to the dock after the hard landing.
The FAA told CBS the pilot of a Kodiak 100 seaplane made a hard landing in the East River near Brooklyn around noon local time, causing a wing strut to snap, and said the agency will investigate.
That FAA detail is important because it moves the story from pure eyewitness footage into the formal aviation-investigation lane.
It also explains why early reports described a crash while later official language described a hard landing.
The New York Post placed the scene near the Manhattan ferry and Skyport terminal along 23rd Street and FDR Drive, a busy stretch of the East River where seaplanes, ferries, rescue boats, and recreational traffic can all be close together.
The Post reported that the plane hit choppy water hard during the incident, with emergency responders and nearby vessels moving quickly to the aircraft as the rescue unfolded.
The outlet said the seaplane was later righted and towed back toward the docks as investigators began sorting out what happened and checking the aircraft.
The Post also noted that another East River seaplane mishap happened just weeks earlier, when a smaller number of people had to be rescued after a plane ran into trouble near the Queens side of the river.
In other words, this is a busy corridor where a bad water landing can turn dangerous very quickly.
Sunday’s result looks dramatically better than it could have.
BREAKING: At least 10 people have been rescued after a plane crashed into the East River in New York City. pic.twitter.com/y7udGBnLR2
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 5, 2026
The Associated Press reported that the seaplane was carrying 10 people and made a hard landing in the East River around noon, citing the New York City Fire Department’s early account of the response.
AP said no injuries were reported and the aircraft remained upright before being towed back to the dock, a crucial detail given how quickly a water incident can deteriorate.
The wire service also noted that images posted on social media showed the white seaplane tilted with one wingtip in the water while a helicopter circled overhead.
That matches the chaotic early footage spreading online, but the official casualty picture is far better than the first visuals might have suggested, especially with all 10 people accounted for and the aircraft still afloat.
The FAA investigation should determine what caused the hard landing and whether mechanical issues, water conditions, pilot decisions, or some combination of factors played a role.
The agency’s review should also lock down the aircraft’s condition, route, and timeline from takeoff to impact.
For now, the headline is simple: a plane went into the East River, emergency crews rushed the water, and everyone aboard appears to have survived.
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.
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