Underwater tunnel to Manhattan leaks after contractor accidentally drills through it

NEW YORK — An underwater tunnel running beneath New York City's East River sprang a leak Wednesday after a city contractor accidentally drilled a hole in it, sending torrents of water pouring into the busy tunnel as officials rushed to seal the opening and block traffic.

The accidental tire blowout occurred around 12:30 p.m. on the Manhattan side of the Queens Midtown Tunnel, which carries nearly 100,000 motorists in and out of downtown every day.

Cathy Sheridan, president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, said the commercial drilling contractor accidentally drilled a 2.5-inch hole in the tunnel's cast iron lining, allowing water to seep into the tube through the exhaust duct.

“There are a lot of redundancies in the tunnel, but if someone drills through all those layers, you'll create a leak,” Sheridan said at a news conference.

Videos shared on social media showed water pouring out of the tunnel's vents and splashing onto vehicles below. “Tell me why the tunnel is leaking?” a driver can be heard asking. “What's going on here?”

No one was harmed by the leak and investigations are ongoing, authorities said.

“As far as I know, they drilled 100 feet from the water surface – about 50 feet through the water, then another 50 feet through the earth – and then down to the tunnel,” Sheridan said.

Drilling contractor Warren George was conducting underwater exploration work on behalf of the city for a new esplanade that will run past the United Nations building, said Josh Krauss, chief infrastructure officer for the city's economic development agency.

An employee of the drilling company reached by telephone declined to comment.