One of the pilots of an Amazon cargo plane that crashed at Miami International Airport, killing five people, reportedly told his wife that his career was over shortly after the incident. The statement was made to his wife over the phone, according to a bystander who assisted the pilot.
Abraham Altamar, who was working in a nearby building, told CBS News that he witnessed the fiery crash on Sunday. He stated that one of the pilots, who appeared shaken and had a minor head injury, approached him. The pilot used Altamar's phone to call his wife, informing her that he was fine but had been in an accident. During this call, the pilot allegedly said, "My career is over."
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office identified the two pilots as Joseph Carroll, 55, and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37. Both held airline transport pilot certificates and were qualified to fly the Boeing 767, the aircraft model involved in the crash. Carroll was listed as a captain for 21 Air, the company operating the plane, and Molina as a first officer.
The Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 was on its third flight of the day when it attempted to land at Miami International Airport. The aircraft overshot the runway by at least 1,300 feet, crashed through the airport perimeter fence, and struck multiple vehicles. Among the vehicles hit were a white Ford Econoline van and a Toyota Corolla Cross LE.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy confirmed the details of the overrun and subsequent impact during a press conference. The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash, examining flight data and cockpit voice recorders.
The five victims killed in the crash were identified Tuesday by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and 47-year-old Javierkys Reyes Quevedo. All were inside vehicles that were struck by the plane.
In addition to the five fatalities, five other individuals were injured. The two pilots were treated and released. Three other people remained hospitalized as of Tuesday, with two in critical condition.
