The aircraft carrying Donald Trump’s running mate came to a standstill off the runway but no one was hurt

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Mike Pence, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, has emerged unscathed after his plane skidded off the runway while landing at LaGuardia airport in New York in heavy rain.

The Boeing 737 carrying Donald Trump’s running mate coming in for a landing and went off the runway at about 7:40pm local time (23.40 GMT). The plane was stopped by a crushable type of concrete runway that halted the aircraft’s movement, the Federal Aviation Administration said. It finally came a standstill on an area of grass.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The plane that was carrying the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Mike Pence, on the runway at New York’s LaGuardia airport on Thursday. Photograph: Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images

None of the estimated 30 people on board, including Pence’s wife Karen and daughter Charlotte, were injured. Flights out of LaGuardia were halted for at least an hour.

Pence pledged to hit the campaign trail again on Friday although he canceled his appearance at a fundraiser scheduled for Thursday night at Trump Tower in Manhattan, MSNBC reported.

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Live television footage showed Pence standing in the rain near the plane among emergency vehicles, talking to police and other officials.

“So thankful everyone on our plane is safe,” the Indiana governor said on Twitter after the incident. “Grateful for our first responders & the concern & prayers of so many.”

Mike Pence (@mike_pence) So thankful everyone on our plane is safe. Grateful for our first responders & the concern & prayers of so many. Back on the trail tomorrow!

MicroSpookyLeaks™ (@WDFx2EU7) BREAKING: Mike Pence exits plane alive, all is well #MAGA onward, soldiers https://t.co/Ncjq3w0Lrj pic.twitter.com/rb4dzh3bFA

The aircraft had been delayed taking off from Fort Dodge, Iowa, because bad weather was expected en route. Pence had been at a campaign event in the state.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Firefighters at the scene on Thursday night. Photograph: Ines DeLaCuetara/AP

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Mike Pence talks to firefighters at New York’s LaGuardia airport. Photograph: AP

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pence talks on the tarmac at LaGuardia. Photograph: Will Wessert/AP

Elizabeth Landers, a CNN producer, was on the plane and described the landing.



“When we landed here we had a pretty hard landing and then we felt the back of the plane start to fishtail and you could just feel the plane moving in a way that was not straight on the runway like a normal landing would go,” she said.

“The plane continued to proceed down ... then we came to a very, very sort of quick and harsh halt on the runway.

KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) #BREAKING Campaign plane of VP candidate Mike Pence just slid off runway at LaGuardia. NBC News reports Gov. Pence is not hurt. pic.twitter.com/IyxXdhyim5

“Governor Pence and his staff are fine and there are a lot of rescue crews. Governor Pence came to the back of the plane to make sure everyone was all right.

“There is significant damage to the runway. You can see divots where the wheels of the plane had been.

“Everyone is fine but definitely a little rattled.



“Judging by what I am seeing it looks like cement has been torn up by the wheels of the plane. The plane is off the runway. The plane is in the grass. One of the wheels is completely in the grass. In fact the entire plane is in the grass.”

Fox News (@FoxNews) .@brithume: “Gov. @mike_pence’s airplane has slid off the runway at NY’s LaGuardia Airport… We’re told everyone is okay.” pic.twitter.com/5ARpyOEFyn

Trump called Pence to check on him after the incident, the campaign said.

“Mr Trump did reach out to Gov Pence. He’s glad that everyone on board is safe,” a Trump spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in an emailed statement.

Trump called him from his motorcade while en route to a rally in Geneva, Ohio.

Earlier in the day photographs published by Reuters showed Trump’s plane taxiing on the runway at LaGuardia during heavy rain.