An Air Canada jet came off the runway after landing at Halifax airport in Nova Scotia, sending at least 23 people to hospital.

The airline did not say what caused the Airbus A320 to leave the runway after landing at Stanfield International Airport, but heavy snow was falling in the eastern Canadian city and Environment Canada issued a snowfall alert warning of low visibility.

Five crew and 133 passengers were on board the plane, according to Air Canada.

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The airline reported 23 people were harmed and sent to hospital, though 18 of them were released within hours.

Airline authorities reported that 25 people were sent to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Two of the injured passengers required “urgent attention” but most were being treated for minor cuts and bruises, Halifax airport spokesman Peter Spurway said.

One passenger said they were made to wait in the snow after leaving the plane, including the injured.

“There was a couple of people, all bloodied. Everybody was able to get out, but what was worse was that they left us for an hour outside in the blowing snow,” Lianne Clark told the Canadian Broadcast Corporation.

She said some ran from the plane “because the fuel was coming out and we were scared”.

Power was out at the airport at the time of the incident, but Spurway did not say whether the accident was linked to the accident.

“We did lose power, we’re not sure if the two incidents are connected. They may be but we’re not sure,” he said.

Back-up generators were running when the flight landed and the runways were lit, he added.

Spurway could not confirm reports that the plane’s wings became tangled in electricity wires upon landing, saying only the Transportation Safety Board of Canada was on site to investigate the cause of the accident.

Both runways remained closed overnight, but one was scheduled to reopen in the morning.