At least five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday.
The Boeing 767-300 crashed shortly before 2pm local time after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The aircraft overran the airport’s diagonal runway before striking several vehicles and catching fire near the airport’s northwest end.
Officials said three of the five injured people remained in critical condition following the crash.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded after the aircraft caught fire. Firefighters battled thick smoke while emergency crews treated those affected.
Crash Causes Major Airport Disruption
Images from the scene showed the aircraft resting on its belly with its nose near the ground and its tail raised.
Scorch marks appeared across part of the fuselage, while emergency crews also worked to contain a fuel leak.
The aircraft belonged to North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air, which operated the flight for Amazon.
The 32-year-old Boeing 767 originally served as a passenger aircraft before its conversion into a freighter in 2015.
Following the crash, Miami International Airport closed all runways and taxiways. Authorities also imposed a ground stop on flights.
As a result, hundreds of flights faced delays, while dozens were cancelled. Officials warned travellers to expect significant disruption.
FAA and NTSB Launch Investigation
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also warned passengers about significant delays and possible cancellations.
Meanwhile, Amazon said it was working with local authorities to determine what happened.
The company said the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved remained its “absolute priority”.
The FAA confirmed that it would investigate the crash. At the same time, the National Transportation Safety Board began gathering information at the scene.
