Five people are dead after plane overshoots Miami runway
The Hill · C · trust 71/100
Comments: by Max Rego and Julia Boehning - 09/06/26 6:09 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Max Rego and Julia Boehning - 09/06/26 6:09 PM ET Comments: Link copied NOW PLAYING At least five people are dead following an Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport (MIA), Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office officials confirmed Sunday afternoon.
The airplane overran the airport’s runway at around 2 p.m., according to airport officials. The fatal crash initially caused a complete ground stop at MIA, though two of its four runways are now open.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of five lives at Miami International Airport today,” Florida Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R) wrote in Sunday evening post to social platform X, also thanking emergency responders. “Miami is with every family affected by this tragedy.”
Florida Senator Rick Scott (R) wrote in a separate X post, “[My wife] and I are heartbroken by this tragic loss of life. Please join us in praying for the families and friends of those affected.”
Scott thanked first responders for their service at the scene, as well as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for “taking swift action.” Duffy said in an earlier post the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will “send inspectors to investigate” the crash.
Duffy also warned travelers to “expect significant delays and potential cancellations.”
Later in the afternoon, the FAA changed its advisory from a ground stop to a ground delay, with the latter in effect from 5 p.m. EDT Sunday to 3:59 a.m. EDT Monday. The aviation agency implements ground delays to limit incoming traffic to an airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also said Sunday it has launched a “go team” to investigate the incident, which occurred after 21 Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at MIA at roughly 2 p.m. EDT. The operator, 21 Air, is based in Greensboro, N.C.
The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft touched down at MIA from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In a statement , Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company was “still gathering details” about the crash.
“We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened,” Nantel added. “Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We’re doing everything we can to support those affected.”
South Florida radio host Andy Slater shared a photo of the damaged plane to X, with the front of the fuselage destroyed.
As of just after 4 p.m. EDT, air traffic controllers had diverted 84 flights originally bound for MIA, according to Flightradar24 .
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) deployed more than 60 units to the scene of the incident, the department noted on X . The plane “struck multiple vehicles” near MIA, according to the county fire department.
“Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing,” MDFR added. “Firefighters are working on extinguishing the fire and assessing patients.”
Out of a total 10 victims, five patients were taken to either local hospitals or a trauma center, the MDFR said in a statement obtained by NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network.
NTSB officials will hold a press conference in Miami on Monday, according to the safety board.
This story was updated at 6:51 p.m. on Sept. 6, 2026
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