An incident at Miami International Airport on Sunday involving an Amazon cargo plane resulted in a tragic outcome, with at least five individuals losing their lives as the aircraft careened off the runway, colliding with vehicles and igniting into flames, as confirmed by authorities.
The plane, which had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overshot the runway at approximately 2 p.m. ET. Miami-Dade County officials disclosed that five people perished in the incident, with three individuals sustaining critical injuries and two others receiving less severe harm. It remains uncertain whether the deceased individuals were aboard the aircraft or in the vehicles impacted by the plane.
Following the crash, thick black smoke billowed into the air, trapping the pilot, co-pilot, and some car occupants. Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah reported that the emergency response team worked to rescue individuals from the wreckage. The incident led to a temporary suspension of flights at the airport, with fire crews grappling with a fuel leak on the plane hours after the accident occurred.
Over 60 units from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue swiftly responded to the scene, where the Prime Air plane came to a halt near two semi-trucks. Despite the fire, the aircraft remained largely intact, resting beside a roadway.
The cargo flight, operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina-based carrier, involved a 32-year-old Boeing 767 that was repurposed as a cargo plane in 2015 after serving several passenger airlines for over two decades. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed these details.
Flight disruptions at the airport affected around 250 flights late Sunday afternoon, as reported by FlightAware. The National Transportation Safety Board announced plans to deploy a team led by Chair Jennifer Homendy to investigate the incident thoroughly.
In response to the tragedy, Amazon expressed its cooperation with the investigation, extending condolences to the families and individuals affected by the devastating loss. An email statement to CBC News affirmed the company’s collaboration with local authorities to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Witnesses near the crash site, such as Jackson Lee, recounted the shock and proximity of the event, with Lee describing the smoke rising near the airport’s vicinity following the crash. Lee expressed disbelief at the proximity of the incident to their location, highlighting the routine sounds of planes departing and arriving as a stark contrast to the unforeseen tragedy.
The investigation into the circumstances leading to the Amazon cargo plane incident in Miami International Airport is ongoing.