Terrifying Video Captures Moment Seaplane Slams Into NYC's East River With 8 Aboard
Video captured the moment a seaplane carrying eight people slammed into New York City's East River.
July 5 2026, Published 5:50 p.m. ET
Terrifying footage captured the moment a seaplane carrying eight people slammed into New York City's East River during a hard landing on Sunday, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Video from inside the aircraft shows the Kodiak 100 descending before slamming into the choppy river near East 23rd Street and FDR Drive, sending a loud boom through the cabin as passengers gasp and the plane is violently rocked.
Passengers Brace for Impact
Passengers gasped as the seaplane hit the choppy waters.
The dramatic clip shows those onboard gripping their seats as the plane bounces across the rough water before finally coming to a stop.
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" several passengers can be heard shouting as sirens begin blaring in the background, per the clips obtained by the New York Post.
Nervous laughter follows as those onboard realize they have survived the frightening ordeal.
Footage taken from outside the aircraft shows the seaplane partially submerged with one wing beneath the water as first responders quickly surrounded the scene.
All eight people aboard the seaplane were rescued after the aircraft partially submerged.
All Eight People Safely Rescued
Emergency responders and rescue boats quickly surrounded the seaplane.
Officials said the incident occurred shortly after noon as the aircraft approached the Skyport terminal.
Emergency responders with the FDNY rescued all eight people onboard — six passengers, the pilot and a crew member.
Two passengers suffered minor injuries and were evaluated by emergency medical personnel, though no serious injuries were reported.
Rescue boats worked alongside several other vessels to safely remove everyone from the aircraft before crews righted the seaplane and towed it back to the dock.
Investigation Underway
Authorities are investigating what caused the seaplane to crash.
Witnesses reported seeing at least five boats respond to the emergency while another seaplane circled overhead during the rescue operation.
Authorities have not yet said what caused the rough landing, and an investigation into the incident is now underway.
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Second East River Seaplane Crash in Weeks
This comes after another recent plane crash in the East River.
Sunday's frightening incident comes just weeks after another seaplane was forced into the East River on June 13.
In that case, pilot Giuseppe Oppedisano and his passenger were rescued after the aircraft briefly took off near the Throggs Neck Bridge before striking a wave that cracked the windshield and caused the plane to take on water.
"I was taking off and I hit a big wave and the windshield cracked open … and it took on water," Oppedisano told the New York Post after the incident. "That's it. Everything is fine."
The 67-year-old pilot and his passenger were rescued by a private boater and did not suffer serious injuries.
Oppedisano was also at the controls during a fatal seaplane crash in 2020 that killed one woman and injured three others.
