At least five killed as Amazon cargo plane crashes in Miami

MIAMI: At least five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, according to local authorities.

Prime Air Flight 7598 went beyond the end of a diagonal runway shortly before 2pm local time and collided with several vehicles on the ground, officials said.

Miami-Dade Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said three of the injured were in critical condition. Two people were trapped inside vehicles struck by the aircraft, while the pilot and co-pilot were also trapped inside the plane following the crash. Authorities had not released the identities of those killed.

More than 60 emergency response units and around 200 personnel were deployed to the scene. Rescue teams were still dealing with a fuel leak from the aircraft later in the afternoon.

The airport suspended flight operations immediately after the crash, though two of its four runways had reopened by Sunday evening.

The aircraft, which had flown to Miami from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a 32-year-old Boeing 767-300 freighter. According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft had previously served as a passenger plane for several airlines between 1994 and 2015.

Cargo airline 21 Air operated the plane for Amazon, an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement.

“We are devastated by the accident involving one of our aircraft in Miami today,” 21 Air said on its website. “Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.”

Reuters photos after the crash showed the jet with its nose on the ground and tail tilted up. The right side of the plane had what appeared to be scorch marks.

Flightradar24 said the plane was traveling at 112 knots (129 mph) when it exited the usable runway.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates U.S. civil aviation accidents, said it had sent a team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to investigate the accident and would hold its first media briefing in Miami on Monday.

Amazon is still gathering details about what happened, company spokesperson Kelly Nantel said. “We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened,” Nantel said in a statement. “Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved.”

Boeing and 21 Air said they would support the government investigations into the crash.

Sunday’s incident is not the first time an Amazon Prime Air plane has been involved in a fatal crash. In February 2019, Atlas Air Flight 3591, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operating on behalf of Amazon Prime Air from Miami to Houston, entered a rapid descent and crashed into Trinity Bay, Texas. All three people on board were killed.