Five dead after Amazon-branded cargo plane overruns runway at Miami airport, striking multiple vehicles
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The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft overran the runway just before 2 p.m. ET while it was landing, according to officials. The plane, 21 Air Flight 7598, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The plane overran Runway 30, struck multiple vehicles and came to rest at a field next to the airport, Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said.
Three people were in critical condition and were taken to a trauma center, and two others were taken to a local hospital, Miami-Dade Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said.
A hotline has been set up for relatives of people who may have been involved in the accident. The scene remains active.
Video showed plumes of smoke billowing from the wreckage. The plane, Jadallah said, struck “a couple of vehicles.”
An Amazon-branded cargo plane after it crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday. Joe Raedle / Getty Images Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the flight was operated by 21 Air and was coming in to land when the incident occurred.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss,” Nantel said.
All runways and taxiways at the airport were closed following a ground stop, an airport spokesperson said in a statement. After 5 p.m. ET, two of the four runways had reopened, the spokesperson said, and the airport was under a ground delay.
The delay was expected to continue through early Monday, according to Federal Aviation Administration airspace notices.
The plane overran Runway 30, struck multiple vehicles and came to rest at a field next to the airport. Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images Fire and rescue personnel responded “within seconds,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units went to the scene, where firefighters worked to extinguish a “very complex fire” that involved blazing engine compartments, Jadallah said.
A search-and-rescue operation was launched to retrieve the pilot and the co-pilot, who were trapped in the plane, and a technical rescue team conducted a “complex extrication” for people who were stuck inside the vehicles the plane hit, he said.
First responders were also addressing an active fuel leak at the crash site, Jadallah said Sunday evening.
The National Transportation Safety Board said has launched a team to investigate. The FAA and the NTSB will determine the cause of the crash.
Share Add to Google Doha Madani I am a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital, covering a range of news-of-the-day topics. My job is to report in a timely manner on crime, mass shootings, war coverage, domestic and international affairs, pop culture and more.
Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering such areas as transportation, space, medical and consumer issues.
Juliette Arcodia is a producer for NBC News' Southern Region.
Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
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