A sinkhole has forced flights to be canceled and caused delays at one of New York’s biggest airports.
One of LaGuardia Airport’s two runways was shut down on Wednesday after officials found the sinkhole, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Officials warned of flight disruptions due to the incident. There have been 252 flights canceled and another 321 delayed into or out of the Queens-based airport as of Wednesday night, according to the flight tracking site FlightAware.
The Port Authority said it found the sinkhole near Runway 4/22 while conducting a daily morning inspection at around 11 a.m., local time.
“Emergency construction and engineering crews are onsite to determine the cause and complete necessary repairs as quickly and safely as possible,” officials said in a statement shared with The Independent.
Crews had brought out an excavator and dump truck to fix the sinkhole, photos captured by a local CBS News helicopter showed.
The sinkhole appeared in the video to be big enough for a person to fall through or to trap vehicles in its path.
Flight disruptions were worsened by bad weather in the New York City area.
“Travelers should expect delays and cancellations, particularly with forecast thunderstorms expected later today, and are strongly encouraged to check directly with their airlines for the latest flight status information,” the Port Authority said.
The Federal Aviation Administration told The Independent that it is “slowing flights” into LaGuardia due to the sinkhole and the weather.
A ground stop due to thunderstorms went into effect Wednesday at 6:20 p.m. and will last until 8:30 p.m., according to the FFA.
There’s also a ground delay, averaging more than two hours, from the thunderstorms, the FAA said on its website. The ground delay will be in effect until just before 1 a.m. Thursday.
The Port Authority said it is in “close communication with airlines and airport partners and will continue providing updates as conditions evolve.”
Runway 4/22 is expected to be closed until 6 a.m. Thursday, ABC News reported, citing the FAA.
