Officials: Two Passenger Jets Collide on Tarmac at JFK Airport

Two passenger jets collided on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens, New York, early Saturday morning, officials with the New York Port Authority said.

The Port Authority told NBC New York that a China Southern plane’s right wing hit the tail of a Kuwait Airways flight, causing damage to both planes.

No injuries were reported, and all passengers disembarked from the planes safely, said the Port Authority, which manages all three major airports in the New York City metropolitan area.

The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) said the Boeing 777 jets collided just after midnight when the China Southern flight was being towed.

The China Southern flight had no passengers on board at the time of the crash, according to the Port Authority.

Kuwait Airways released a statement via Twitter announcing that the Chinese aircraft struck Flight 118 from New York to Kuwait while it was parked awaiting takeoff.

The airline added that it was cooperating with New York authorities to investigate the accident.

NBC New York reports that the passengers aboard the Kuwait Airways flight had been taken to hotels while they waited to be rebooked on alternative flights.

The #PAPD Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Unit (ARFF) responded to Terminal 4, JFK, last night; a China Southern 777's wing tip struck the tail end of a Kuwait Airways 777 causing damage to both aircraft. #PAPDPROTECTSNYNJ pic.twitter.com/1g2isyyHD4

— Port Authority PBA (@PAPD911) January 6, 2018

CBS News reports that passengers at JFK posted angrily on social media that they had been stranded in the airport for up to 20 hours on Saturday without any indication from airport officials as to what happened.

One passenger tweeted a video at 2:26 a.m. Saturday morning of people lining up in front of the ticket counter and crowding around the waiting area demanding answers.

@BaruchShemtov CZ 300 delayed at JFK due to weather and now 20h later plane crash on tarmac. Share! pic.twitter.com/fjXGO1yl9W

— Lily Crawford (@lcrawf5459) January 6, 2018

Another passenger stranded on a flight not involved with the crash tweeted that several of his fellow travelers called 911 from the aircraft and others threatened “to break open emergency exits” on the flight.

Passenger Chris Mendez, who was aboard Alitalia flight 8604, added that one of the passengers had a heart condition and was experiencing a medical emergency.

The Port Authority said Saturday afternoon that it was limiting the number of flights coming into JFK until enough gates were available to handle the backlog of passengers.

The plane collision is the second one to happen in less than 24 hours after two jets collided at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada Friday evening.