Passenger Films Terrifying Moments As Seaplane Crashes Into New York River

• A 16-year-old passenger captured the terrifying moments when a seaplane crashed into New York's East River while landing
• The aircraft was carrying eight people, including a pilot and crew member, when it made a hard landing
• All passengers were rescued within minutes, with many praising emergency crews and the pilot for preventing a far worse tragedy

A dramatic video showing the final moments before a seaplane crashed into New York's East River has gone viral after it was shared by @nytimes on 6 July 2026. The footage was filmed by 16-year-old Khloe Todd, who was travelling with her grandmother after a Fourth of July weekend in the Hamptons when their aircraft made a hard landing and partially capsized near Manhattan. Fortunately, all eight people on board, including the pilot and a crew member, survived the incident.

According to The New York Times, the 10-seat seaplane was approaching its landing area near East 23rd Street shortly before noon on 5 July when things suddenly went wrong. The aircraft violently jolted after striking a wave during landing, causing one of its wing supports to snap.

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Emergency crews rushed to the scene

Khloe's cellphone video captured the terrifying seconds inside the cabin as loud bangs were heard and warning alarms began sounding. The aircraft partially tipped into the East River, leaving one wing submerged in the water. Fire Department and police rescue boats arrived within about 90 seconds, quickly helping everyone safely off the aircraft.

Officials confirmed that none of the passengers suffered life-threatening injuries. Khloe's grandmother, 75-year-old Ada Todd, said she was left with back pain and a headache, while Khloe described the experience as one of the scariest moments of her life.

Pilot praised for preventing disaster

Witnesses watching from the Manhattan waterfront praised the pilot for maintaining control during the emergency landing. One bystander even compared his actions to those of famed pilot Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, who safely landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River in 2009.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident to determine exactly what caused the hard landing and structural damage.

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Watch the TikTok video below:

Social media relieved everyone survived

The viral footage shared publicly by the news outlet @nytimes left many viewers saying the video showed just how quickly an ordinary flight can turn into an emergency. Others praised the pilot's calm response and the rapid rescue by emergency services, while many expressed relief that every passenger walked away safely despite the frightening crash.

Byron Kennerly commented:

“They were impressively chill.”

Montreal Magnet joked:

“Every aeroplane should be a seaplane.”

Usernaaaaameone wrote:

“Thank God they are safe.”

TimeTraveller joked:

“It’s not May Day, it’s July Day.”

Naliyah commented:

“Thank God they were okay.”

Trucklawyer remarked:

“Everybody just witnessed a seaplane do what it’s supposed to do.”

3 Other Briefly News stories about plane crashes

• Eleven people survived a plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean after spending five hours stranded on a life raft near Florida.
• A twin-engine aircraft travelling in the Bahamas crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after reportedly experiencing engine problems.
• A pilot and co-pilot from the United States died after their aircraft crashed while attempting an emergency landing near La Romana in the Dominican Republic.

Source: Briefly News