LaGuardia Airport: Lucky escape for dozens as Delta plane skids off runway at New York airport

Plane had just arrived from Atlanta

A New York airport was the location of high drama on Friday morning as a passenger plane slid off the runway amid wintry conditions and heavy snowfall. Reports said passengers escaped without serious injury.

Television images showed the plane having skidded at LaGuardia Airport and crashing into a fence as it tried to land. There were a total of 125 passengers and five crew on board the flight.

It was later reported that a total of 16 people suffered minor injuries. All flights in and out of the airport was cancelled until 7pm, creating no small measure of chaos.

It was not clear how many people were on the Delta plane, an MD-88 heading to New York from Atlanta, Georgia, when the accident happened at around 11am. Images showed passengers being evacuated from the damaged aircraft.

Photos posted to Twitter and other social media showed the tail of the plane dipping into the snow; the nose was pointed upward and appeared to be damaged.