Sept. 21 (UPI) — Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled in Newark, N.J., New York and Philadelphia on Monday after a construction company accidentally cut a fiber optic cable, shutting down communications equipment.
More than 400 flights have been canceled across the country, including 280 at Newark Liberty International. Philadelphia International, LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International have also been affected.
Airspace above the New York City airports has reopened.
The fiber optic cable was a Verizon service line in New Jersey.
“We have a fiber cable running adjacent to an Amtrak rail line in New Jersey,” Verizon said in a statement. “Construction contractors working in the area dug up and cut our cable. We and our partners are actively working to repair the damaged cable and restore connectivity as quickly as possible.”
Separately, Philadelphia air traffic control was dealing with a blown circuit at its TRACON facility on Monday. As its backup system kicked in, it was discovered that its backup line was cut in New Jersey.
The portion of damaged communications line is a stretch of about 600 feet between New Brunswick and Newark, N.J.
The timing of the incident coincides with the U.N. General Assembly meeting this week in New York City. Diplomats from around the globe are coming into the area for the meeting which starts on Tuesday.