Five people died and five others sustained serious injuries when an Amazon Air cargo plane crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon. The Boeing 767-300 aircraft overran the runway shortly before 2 p.m. local time after departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The plane, operated by charter company 21 Air, also struck several vehicles on the ground following the incident. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava stated that rescue crews arrived at the scene rapidly. "Right now, our focus is on the families, those who were injured, and the ongoing response," she said.
Of the five injured individuals, three are in critical condition, according to Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah. Some victims were trapped in or under vehicles and required extrication by emergency services. All injured parties were transported to a hospital with unknown injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded all flights at the airport as fire crews worked to contain the blaze resulting from the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. The NTSB is expected to hold a press conference on Monday. Miami International Airport confirmed the plane "overran Miami International Airport's diagonal runway and is disabled at the northwest end of the airport." Images from the scene show the plane at a skewed angle to the ground, with visible fire and smoke. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported arriving to find the airplane engulfed in flames. Miami International Airport is a significant hub for cargo operations, and the crash occurred during a period of high travel volume for the Labor Day weekend. Miami International Airport is a significant cargo hub. This incident occurred over the Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.