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13th August 2017
Posted by BBC Essex News
Stansted Airport delays over 'hole in runway'
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@LisaParker83/PA
Travellers at London Stansted Airport have been hit by delays after the runway was closed for emergency repairs.
Passengers were told by crew members there was a hole on the landing strip.
The airport said its runway was closed between 17:30 and 18:10 BST on Sunday.
A total of 11 incoming flights were diverted to other hubs including Luton and East Midlands. The runway has since reopened and "flight operations are back to normal", the airport says.
Images posted on social media showed a packed out departure lounge as hundreds queued to board their flights.
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@joescaff/PA
BBC business journalist Joe Lynam wrote on Twitter: "There's a 'hole' in the runway at Stansted airport according to the pilot of my Ryanair flight from Italy which had to divert to Luton."
In a statement, Stansted Airport said the closure was "deemed necessary for safety reasons" but "some flights may be delayed or cancelled".
The airport said minor repairs were carried out.