A sinkhole unearthed near a runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City caused significant disruptions to flight schedules on Wednesday. The discovery led to numerous flight cancellations after airport crews identified the issue during a standard inspection.
The sinkhole was detected around 11 a.m. adjacent to Runway 4/22 during the airport’s routine airfield examination, according to officials from LaGuardia Airport.
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An image shows crews assessing the sinkhole found near a LaGuardia Airport runway on Wednesday. (WNYW)
“The runway was promptly closed, and emergency construction and engineering teams are currently on-site to investigate the cause and carry out essential repairs as swiftly and safely as possible,” stated an announcement on LaGuardia’s official social media platform.
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A runway at LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday where a sinkhole was discovered. (WNYW)
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was in “close communication” with airlines to provide ongoing updates.
Travelers were urged to check directly with their airlines for updated flight status as delays and cancellations mounted. Thunderstorms were also forecast for Wednesday, threatening to exacerbate the travel disruptions.
A plane flies over LaGuardia Airport tower in New York. (iStock)
By Wednesday afternoon, departures from LaGuardia were delayed by an average of 30 minutes, while arrival delays averaged around 38 minutes, according to FlightAware.
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