An Amazon cargo plane veered off a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least five individuals as it collided with vehicles and ignited into flames, as confirmed by authorities. The incident occurred as the aircraft exceeded the runway around 2 p.m. ET upon its arrival from San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to Miami-Dade County officials during a press conference, five individuals lost their lives, with three sustaining critical injuries and two others hospitalized for less severe injuries.
Miami authorities stated on Sunday afternoon that it was premature to ascertain whether the deceased individuals were aboard the plane or in the vehicles impacted by the plane. The crash, which generated thick black smoke billowing into the sky, trapped the pilot, copilot in the cockpit, and some occupants in vehicles, as mentioned by Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah. Additionally, one person was reported to be trapped beneath a vehicle.
The incident prompted a suspension of flights at the bustling travel hub for a significant part of the afternoon. Fire crews continued to address a fuel leak on the plane several hours subsequent to the crash, as indicated by Jadallah. Over 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene, where the aircraft was ablaze, and crews worked to extinguish the flames and assess the injured parties.
The Prime Air plane came to a stop beside a roadway near two semi-trucks, as depicted in images from the scene. Despite the fire, the aircraft seemed to be resting on its belly and remained mostly intact.
The flight was operated by 21 Air, a cargo carrier headquartered in North Carolina. The Boeing 767, 32 years old, was originally designed for passenger transport and had served multiple airlines for over two decades before being transformed into a cargo plane in 2015, according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24.
Approximately 250 flights encountered delays at the airport late Sunday afternoon, as reported by FlightAware, a website monitoring flight disruptions. The National Transportation Safety Board announced the dispatch of a team to Miami, led by Chair Jennifer Homendy, for an investigation into the incident. Amazon expressed its willingness to cooperate with any inquiry initiated.
In a statement, Amazon expressed deep sadness over the loss of five lives in the Miami International Airport incident. The company extended its heartfelt sympathies to the affected families and loved ones of those impacted by this tragic event.
Jackson Lee, who operates an electronics store near the crash site, shared that he and four colleagues went outside after the crash and observed smoke emanating near the airport’s fences. Lee remarked, “We hear planes taking off and landing every five minutes. I thought I’d got used to it. I never thought it could come this close to us.”