At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon cargo plane ran off the runway while landing at Miami International Airport, in the US state of Florida, on Sunday (September 6). The Boeing 767-300 crossed the end of the runway, struck vehicles on a road that runs beside the airport and caught fire at around 2 pm local time (3 pm in Brasilia), according to Miami-Dade County officials and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Three of the injured were in serious condition and two were hospitalized with light injuries, county authorities said. Miami-Dade Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said some people were trapped inside the vehicles that were hit, and that the pilot and copilot were also trapped in the aircraft. More than 60 fire rescue units responded, and crews were still working hours later to contain a fuel leak. Authorities did not immediately say whether the dead were in the vehicles or on the plane. Videos shared on social media showed thick black smoke rising from the aircraft.
Flight from Puerto Rico
The jet belongs to Amazon Air, the e-commerce company's cargo network, and was operated by 21 Air, a cargo airline based in North Carolina. According to Flightradar24 data cited by BBC Brasil, the 32-year-old plane, built to carry passengers and converted to a freighter in 2015, had taken off from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was moving at 112 knots (207 km/h) when it left the runway. The tracking site also reported storms and wind gusts in Miami at the time of landing, conditions investigators are expected to examine. The aircraft came to a stop near a parking lot that serves an Amazon warehouse and, despite the fire, remained largely intact beside the road, near two trucks, according to InfoMoney.
The airport closed all runways and ordered a full ground stop. About 250 flights were showing delays by late afternoon, according to the FlightAware tracking service. The San Juan to Miami route is part of the cargo network that feeds Amazon's e-commerce operations in the United States and the Caribbean.
Investigation and response
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the US agency that investigates transport accidents, said it will send a team to Miami led by its chair, Jennifer Homendy, to investigate the crash. The cause remains unknown. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company "is working closely with local authorities to understand exactly what happened". Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said her office is closely monitoring the situation.
"At this time, our focus is on everyone involved and on making sure our first responders have everything they need. We will share updates as we learn more," the mayor said.