An Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft skidded off the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, resulting in at least five fatalities and multiple injuries after colliding with several vehicles. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time following the flight’s arrival from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Miami-Dade County officials confirmed that five individuals died at the scene, while three others sustained critical injuries and two were hospitalized with less severe wounds. Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah reported that some occupants remained trapped inside the struck vehicles, and both the pilot and copilot were trapped within the aircraft.
More than 60 fire rescue units responded to the emergency. Although the Boeing 767 came to rest largely intact beside a roadway near two semi-trucks, fire crews continued to address a fuel leak hours after the impact. Miami Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz stated there was no apparent ongoing threat to public safety.
The flight was operated by North Carolina-based carrier 21 Air. According to Flightradar24, the 32-year-old aircraft was originally constructed as a passenger plane and spent over two decades in service before being converted for cargo use in 2015.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it is dispatching an investigation team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to determine the cause of the crash. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel emphasized that the company is collaborating closely with local authorities, prioritizing the care of all those involved.
FlightAware data indicated that approximately 250 departures and arrivals were delayed at the airport late Sunday afternoon due to the disruption.
Was this really due to runway conditions? Seems like a lot for a landing approach to go wrong. NTSB better get to the bottom of this fast.
Five dead is absolutely heartbreaking. The images of the skid marks near the highway are haunting.