Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded in Hawaii after officials were forced to cancel flights and divert planes due to cracks splitting open the runway.
Kona International Airport was effectively shut down on Monday due to fissures in the asphalt, which deteriorated during the lashing rain in recent winter storms.
The drama sparked travel chaos for hundreds of flyers as the airport remained closed overnight, while those due to fly on Tuesday have been urged to check with their airlines for the latest information about their travel plans.
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The airport reportedly took the decision to shut down shortly before 4:30 p.m. and it remained closed overnight.
Passenger Anna Cau told local news outlet Hawaii News Now that she was initially informed her flight would be delayed. But a further update had dashed her hopes and she said: “They have finally announced they are going to close the airport. There are hundreds of people at the airport. We are fortunate to have friends that we are going to be staying with, but there are many here who don’t have accommodations.”
The Hawaii Department of Transportation is reportedly working with contractors to try to repair the damage and reopen the runway as soon as possible, although it remains unclear exactly when this will be.
Newsweek has reached out to the Hawaii Department of Transportation for further information and comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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