An Amazon Prime Air cargo jet has overshot a runway at Miami International Airport, killing at least five people after ploughing into multiple vehicles and bursting into flames on Sunday afternoon. The aircraft came down around 2pm local time after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, with five people confirmed dead, three critically injured and two others hospitalised with less serious injuries, according to Miami-Dade County officials.
Shocking footage circulating online captured enormous plumes of smoke rising from the crash site as emergency crews raced to the scene.
What Happened at Miami Airport
The Boeing 767 cargo aircraft, operated by North Carolina-based carrier 21 Air on behalf of Amazon, overran the runway before coming to rest beside a roadway near two semi-trucks. Images from the scene showed the plane largely intact and resting on its belly despite the intense fire that engulfed it.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah confirmed that some people were trapped inside their vehicles following the collision, while the pilot and co-pilot were also trapped inside the aircraft. More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded, with crews working to extinguish the blaze and treat the injured. Hours after the initial crash, firefighters were still managing an active fuel leak from the plane.
About the Aircraft
The Boeing 767 involved in the crash is 32 years old and was originally constructed as a passenger aircraft, flying with several commercial airlines for more than two decades. It was converted to a cargo configuration in 2015, according to flight-tracking data. The aircraft had been completing a flight under the Amazon Prime Air banner when the accident occurred.
This crash adds to a sobering list of accidents and incidents involving airliners by location that aviation authorities and investigators maintain globally.
Airport Disruptions and Emergency Response
The incident caused significant disruption to one of the United States' busiest airports. Around 250 flights were delayed at Miami International Airport by late Sunday afternoon as a result of the crash, according to flight disruption tracking data.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced it is dispatching an investigative team to Miami, to be led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, to determine the cause of the accident.
Amazon Responds
Amazon issued a statement through spokesperson Kelly Nantel, saying the company was working closely with local authorities to understand what had occurred. "Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved," the statement read.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of those killed or injured, and the investigation into the cause of the runway overshoot is ongoing. The crash is one of the most serious aviation accidents to strike a major American airport in recent years. For more on fatal incidents involving vehicles, see our earlier report on three dead in separate crashes across south-east Queensland overnight.
