USA – 5 Killed, 5 Injured After Amazon Air Cargo Plane Crashes at Miami Airport
Five people were killed and five others hospitalized after an Amazon Air cargo plane crashed and caught fire while landing at Miami International Airport, authorities said.
The Boeing 767-300 freighter, operated by 21 Air, overran a runway at approximately 2 p.m. local time. The aircraft then struck multiple vehicles near the airport before catching fire, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz confirmed the death toll and number of people hospitalized during a press conference. Two of those taken to hospital were pilots, NBC 6 South Florida reported.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units were sent to the airport following the crash. Emergency crews arrived to find the aircraft engulfed in heavy flames and producing large amounts of smoke.
Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze while also assessing and treating people affected by the incident, the fire department said. The plane came to rest nose-down in a grassy area at the airport.
The crash caused major disruption at Miami International. Airport officials ordered a full ground stop, temporarily halting incoming and departing flights while emergency crews dealt with the scene.
Prime Air Flight 7598 had overrun the airport’s diagonal runway and became disabled at the northwest end of the airport, officials said.
By approximately 3 p.m., all runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport remained closed.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also confirmed the airport shutdown on X, saying a full ground stop had been put in place while first responders assessed the crash site.
The FAA said the cargo aircraft had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before flying to Miami.
Amazon later confirmed that one of its Air aircraft, operated by 21 Air, had been involved in an incident while attempting to land at Miami International Airport.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company was working with local authorities to determine exactly what had happened.
She added that the company’s immediate priority was the safety and care of everyone affected by the incident and that Amazon was providing support to those involved.
Photo credit: Lynne Sladky and EPA. All rights reserved.