A Delta airplane carrying 127 passengers skidded off the runway and crashed into a fence at LaGuardia airport in New York City while landing in snowy conditions on Thursday. Twenty-four people suffered minor injuries, and three were transported to local hospital, officials said.
More than a dozen firefighters arrived to the scene to help passengers off the plane that flew in from Atlanta. A small fuel spill occurred but was said to be under control. The Federal Aviation Administration said the airport had been closed and was not expected to reopen until 6:59 p.m. E.T.
A TIME reporter on the scene observed at least one passenger on a stretcher in Terminal D and what appeared to be multiple emergency vehicles on the runway. All passengers were moved to the Delta Sky Club.
One passenger told the reporter that it “looked like we were going into the water.”
More than 4,000 flights have been canceled within, into or out of the U.S., according to FlightAware.
Eyewitnesses and others reacted to the incident on social media:
New York Giants player Larry Donnell was apparently on the flight and posted a video on Instagram:
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com