An Amazon Air cargo plane overshot the runway during its landing attempt at Miami International Airport, resulting in the tragic loss of five lives and serious injuries to five others.
The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft crashed shortly before 2:00 PM local time after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Additionally, the flight impacted several vehicles on the ground.
Amazon is actively collaborating with local authorities to comprehensively understand the circumstances surrounding this incident.
In response to the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all flights as fire crews swiftly responded to the smoking wreckage. This incident occurred over the busy Labor Day weekend, a peak travel period.
“At least five individuals have tragically lost their lives, and five others are currently injured,” stated Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava during a news conference on Sunday evening.
She emphasized that rescue crews arrived at the scene within mere seconds of the crash.
“Our immediate priority is to support the families affected and those who sustained injuries, while also managing the ongoing response,” she added.
Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah reported that three of the injured individuals are in critical condition, and all were transported to the hospital with injuries that remain unspecified.
Multiple injured persons were trapped inside or beneath vehicles on the ground and required extrication by fire and rescue teams, according to Jadallah.
Officials caution that it is premature to determine the cause of the crash, as the National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a thorough investigation. This federal agency, responsible for examining all air crashes in the U.S., plans to hold a news conference on Monday.
The Amazon flight, operated by 21 Air—a charter company based in North Carolina—overran the diagonal runway at Miami International Airport and is currently immobilized at the northwest end of the airport, as reported in an official statement.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue crews arrived to find an aircraft engulfed in flames due to the crash, with heavy smoke and fire visible.
