Small Plane Makes Emergency Water Landing in Assawoman Bay

Ocean City, MD - A small aircraft made an unplanned water landing in Assawoman Bay on Sunday afternoon, drawing a response from multiple emergency agencies in the Ocean City area.

The incident happened at around 2:15 p.m. behind Seacrets, the well-known bar and entertainment venue along the bay in Ocean City, Maryland. Witnesses in the area reported seeing the plane come down on the water.

The aircraft was a SeaRey, a two-seat, single-engine amphibious flying boat designed to operate on both land and water. According to initial reports, one of the plane's stabilizing floats, known as a sponson, appeared to detach during the flight. The loss of that float is believed to have caused the water landing.

Despite the circumstances, the SeaRey remained partially afloat after coming down. No injuries were reported.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the scene and are handling the investigation. Both agencies are working to determine exactly what happened and what caused the float to detach.

The SeaRey is a popular aircraft among recreational pilots. Its amphibious design makes it capable of landing on water, which likely helped the situation from becoming much worse.

(Photos Provided by Ocean City Fire Dept)