Eight people were rescued after a seaplane made a hard landing on the East River in New York City, with two people sustaining minor injuries, authorities said.

The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) said emergency crews were dispatched after receiving reports of an aircraft in the water near East 23rd Street Marina in Manhattan shortly after midday.

Officials said the Tailwind Air Kodiak 100 seaplane remained upright on the water before being towed to a nearby dock. All eight people on board were safely evacuated by emergency responders. Two passengers sustained minor injuries but declined transportation to hospital.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the pilot performed a hard landing, during which one of the aircraft's wing struts was damaged. The agency noted that a hard landing occurs when an aircraft touches down with vertical force exceeding the manufacturer's operational limits.

Authorities also said the aircraft was not receiving air traffic control services at the time of the incident.

According to U.S. media reports, the seaplane had departed from East Hampton and was attempting to land at the Manhattan Skyport Seaplane Base when it struck a large wave and partially tilted onto its side before coming to rest in the river.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into the incident. Initial assessments found no evidence of a fuel leak or environmental contamination following the hard landing.

The incident came about three weeks after another seaplane accident on the East River, when a two-seat aircraft struck a large wave during takeoff and crashed into the water. Both the pilot and the passenger were rescued safely.(ILKHA)