A survivor was miraculously rescued from the wreckage of a car after an Amazon cargo plane crash-landed at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, striking two vehicles and killing at least five people. The Boeing 767 jet overshot the runway during its third flight of the day, according to Jennifer Homendy, chief executive officer of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The deceased victims were inside the two vehicles that were hit by the aircraft, Homendy said Monday. The victims have not yet been identified. The Amazon cargo jet first struck a 2012 Ford van carrying seven contract airline cleaning company workers, then skidded and hit another car. The pilot and co-pilot of the aircraft sustained injuries, though their current condition is unknown. The plane had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Astonishing footage captured the moment a police officer discovered a survivor inside a crumpled SUV that had flipped on its side. The officer located the individual after checking if they were responsive and then called for a rescue team.
"We got one for you! He's alive!" the officer and another rescuer were heard shouting as they worked to extract the survivor.
Dispatch audio revealed the gravity of the situation as rescuers arrived. "This aircraft overran the runway and crossed 67th Avenue. It struck a truck," one emergency responder reported. "We do have a patient on the ground. We're looking at surveilling the area for more patients."
Another rescuer from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue stated, "Be advised, we have three patients; it appears to be two black, we have two black and one red," indicating two deceased and one critically injured individual based on triage color codes.
Responders also faced challenges, with firefighters reportedly running out of water as the plane burned, prompting requests for backup. Crews also had to perform extrication for a person trapped under a vehicle.
Homendy stated that the NTSB has deployed 32 investigators to the case. The flight data recorder from the aircraft has been sent for evaluation. The plane overshot the paved surface of the runway by approximately 1,300 feet.
A preliminary report by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that Miami International Airport is not equipped with an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS). This system, installed at over 120 airports nationwide, uses beds of lightweight material at runway ends to safely stop aircraft that overrun the tarmac.
"Recovery of victims is most important," Homendy said during a press conference, describing the scene which included widespread fuel. "There is fuel everywhere, which will have to be remediated, and they are removing fuel from the aircraft, and as we speak, recovery operations continue."