Construction crews cut Verizon fiber cable causing US flight cancellations
Hundreds of flights across the United States were disrupted on Monday after construction workers severed a Verizon fiber optic line used for air traffic control in New Jersey.
Cable damage halted airport operations
The breakage occurred near three major airports in New York City, forcing ground stops and cancellations. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford noted that a circuit failure revealed the severed cable to officials. Verizon stated that contractors digging in the area caused the incident rather than its own staff.
Conflicting accounts of responsibility
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed an Amtrak crew accidentally cut the line during work. An Amtrak spokesperson told NBC4 that a New Jersey Transit contractor was actually responsible for the damage on their property. Reports indicate that crews from different rail entities are blaming each other for the disruption.
Repairs allow operations to resume
Officials said the telecom lines have been fixed as of Monday evening. Despite the repair, delays persist while air traffic control clears existing backlog. FlightAware data shows more than 1000 flights were canceled in the US on that day.
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