Newark Liberty International Airport is closed until 11 p.m. Wednesday.
A ground stop was issued Wednesday evening due to an aircraft emergency, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said a JetBlue flight took off from Newark around 5:45 p.m. The flight then immediately turned around after experiencing engine failure.
The FAA released the following statement:
“After JetBlue Flight 543 landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport and exited the runway, the crew of the Airbus A320 reported smoke in the cockpit and evacuated passengers via slides. The FAA has temporarily paused some arrivals to the airport and will investigate the incident that occurred around 5:55 p.m. local time. You can monitor real-time airport conditions here.”
Sources said there were 122 passengers on board, and one passenger was taken to a local hospital after reporting chest pains.
The flight had been heading to Palm Beach, Florida.
Flight operations at Newark are suspended while the plane is removed from the taxiway, according to Port Authority. Sources say the airport is automatically shut down when passengers are evacuated using emergency slides to ensure the safety of the individuals on the runway.
Stay with CBS News New York for the latest on this developing story.
