Sinkhole Shuts Down Runway at LaGuardia Airport

A sinkhole discovered during a routine inspection forced the shutdown of Runway 4/22 at LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday morning. m. while conducting the airport's daily airfield inspection. The runway was immediately closed and emergency construction and engineering teams moved in to assess the damage and begin repairs.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said crews are working to determine the cause of the sinkhole and complete repairs as quickly and safely as possible. The agency is coordinating with airlines and airport partners as the situation develops.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is slowing flights into LaGuardia due to weather and the sinkhole on Runway 4/22. The airport is currently under a ground delay, with flights departing to LaGuardia delayed an average of 98 minutes.

According to FlightAware, there are currently 197 cancellations into and out of LaGuardia and 168 delays. The Port Authority cautioned travelers to expect further disruptions, particularly with thunderstorms forecast later in the day. The closure comes nearly two months after the March 22 crash of Air Canada Flight 8646 on the same runway.

It is also the second sinkhole reported in the area this month, following one that opened on the Long Island Expressway on May 14.