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 the tunnel, sending torrents of water into the heavily trafficked passageway as officials tried to close the gap and block traffic.

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

Cathy Sheridan, president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, said the commercial drilling company inadvertently drilled a 2.5-inch hole through the tunnel’s cast iron lining, allowing water to seep into the pipe through the outlet pipe.

“There are a lot of redundancies in the tunnel, but you know, if someone drills through all those layers, there’s going to be a leak,” Sheridan said at a news conference.

Videos shared Unpleasant social media showed water pouring out of the tunnel’s upper 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 injured in the leak and the investigation is ongoing, officials said.

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

According to Josh Krauss, chief infrastructure officer for the city’s Economic Development Corporation, the drilling contractor, Warren George, conducted underwater surveys for the city for a new esplanade that will run past the United Nations building.

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