Passengers safe after seaplane makes 'hard landing' on East River in New York: FDNY
A seaplane made what the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) described as a "hard landing" on New York's East River Sunday, prompting the rescue of eight people aboard by FDNY units.
At least two people suffered minor injuries in the incident and were being treated by FDNY emergency medical technicians, according to the FDNY. The plane itself was towed back to a dock, the FDNY said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the seaplane made a hard landing in the East River, which caused a wing strut to snap.
The incident unfolded just after 12 p.m. in the East River in an area just off the FDR Drive near East 23rd Street in Manhattan, according to the NYPD.
An air traffic control recording of the incident was released by ATC.com and captured the pilot issuing a Mayday distress call before making the hard water landing.
The plane had taken off from East Hampton Airport, according to data from ADSBExchange.
Another airplane nearby also reported the condition of people on board the aircraft to the air traffic controllers. In another recording, a New York Police Department helicopter reported to air traffic control that everyone was removed from the plane and that its wing strut was snapped, according to the recording from ATC.com.
Flight tracking data and the registered owner of the aircraft were not immediately available.
Video taken in the aftermath of the incident showed the aircraft upright and floating on the river with its left wing tilted into the water.
Officials received a call just after noon Sunday about a plane in the water, the FDNY said.
The FAA is investigating the incident.
ABC News' Ayesha Ali, Gabrielle Vinick and Matt Foster contributed to this report.
