On Wednesday, a sinkhole opened up on runway 4/22 at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, forcing an immediate closure of the airfield. The Port Authority reported that crews identified the sinkhole during their daily morning inspection around 11 a.m., prompting swift shutdown procedures to ensure safety.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported as the incident was discovered before any aircraft could be affected. Emergency teams are on site investigating the cause and initiating repairs. Travelers faced significant delays and cancellations, compounded by forecasted thunderstorms later in the day.

This is not the first serious issue at LaGuardia on this runway. The same surface has been involved in two fatal incidents: a March collision that killed two pilots and an Air Canada jet crash into a Port Authority fire truck during landing in March.

Passengers described chaotic conditions. “We flew around Manhattan in a weird direction,” said Kit Deason, an IT manager from Alabama who traveled with Southwest Airlines. “Lately, with all the mishaps and near misses at major airports, I’m thankful they found it before a plane went into it.”

Ryan Mastian, a firefighter from Indianapolis, added: “The pilot said that there were delays because the planes were ‘single file lining up at LaGuardia.’ They didn’t say a sinkhole. I’m a firefighter, so I know if they’re shutting down runways, there’s a problem.”

The incident has also canceled connecting flights and caused extended wait times for travelers. Samantha, a 36-year-old veterinarian from Maine, noted her flight was scrapped after initial delays. LaGuardia is expected to reopen the runway on Thursday following repairs.