MIAMI: An Amazon Air cargo jet crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon after overrunning the runway, striking several vehicles and catching fire, killing five people and injuring five others as the airport faced heavy Labor Day weekend traffic.
The Boeing 767-300 crashed shortly before 2 p.m. after departing Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The flight was operated by North Carolina-based charter company 21 Air.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Raied “Ray” Jadallah said three of the five injured people were in critical condition and were taken to a trauma center, while two others were transported to a local hospital. Several people trapped inside or beneath vehicles hit by the plane had to be extricated by rescue crews.
More than 200 firefighters responded to the crash. Fire crews found the aircraft engulfed in flames and producing heavy smoke, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. The fire was extinguished, although a fuel leak remained at the scene.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said emergency crews reached the crash site within seconds.
“Right now, our focus is on the families, those who were injured, and the ongoing response,” Levine Cava said during a Sunday evening news conference.
Cause of crash under investigation
Officials said it was too early to determine why the aircraft was unable to stop after landing.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash and was expected to hold a news conference Monday. Investigators will examine the aircraft and other circumstances surrounding the accident to determine what caused the runway overrun.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft traveling at about 112 knots, or 129 mph, when it left the usable portion of the runway.
The tracking service said the plane came to rest near a parking lot serving an Amazon warehouse and other businesses. Light thunderstorms and gusting winds were reported in the Miami area around the time of the crash, although authorities have not said whether weather contributed to the accident.
The airport said the aircraft “overran Miami International Airport’s diagonal runway and is disabled at the northwest end of the airport.”
Amazon says it is cooperating
Amazon expressed condolences to the victims and said it was working with local authorities to determine what happened.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” Kelly Nantel, Amazon’s director of corporate global media relations, said in a statement.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss,” she said.
Amazon said it would cooperate fully with the investigation.
The BBC reported that it contacted 21 Air for comment but had not received a response.
Flights disrupted
The crash prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to ground flights at Miami International Airport while emergency crews responded to the scene.
The disruption came during the Labor Day holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods in the United States. Passengers reported canceled and delayed flights, long lines at airline counters and difficulties making alternative travel arrangements. Some travelers said they expected to spend an additional night in Miami.
The Transportation Security Administration had estimated that about 17 million travelers would pass through U.S. airports during the week leading up to Monday’s Labor Day holiday, including about 2.3 million passengers expected to fly Sunday.
Miami International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States and a major gateway for international passenger and cargo traffic, particularly between the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Authorities said their immediate focus remained on caring for the injured, supporting victims’ families and securing the crash site as investigators begin determining what led to the deadly accident.
