At least five people have died and several others have been injured after an Amazon cargo plane skidded off a runway at Miami International Airport, collided with vehicles and burst into flames.
The aircraft came to rest beside a roadway close to two articulated lorries, according to images from the scene. The Boeing 767, which remained largely intact despite the fire, appeared to have settled on its underside.
Crash details and response
The incident occurred at around 2pm on Sunday, 6 September, after the flight arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Miami-Dade County officials confirmed that three further individuals sustained critical injuries, while two others were taken to hospital with less serious wounds.
Several people were left trapped inside their vehicles, according to Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah. The pilot and co-pilot were also stuck inside the aircraft, with fire crews battling a fuel leak on the plane for several hours following the incident.
Emergency operations and aircraft history
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, crews found the aircraft fully ablaze as they worked to douse the flames and treat those injured. Footage circulating on social media showed thick black smoke rising from the aircraft.
The flight had been operated by 21 Air, a cargo carrier based in North Carolina. The aircraft, which is 32 years old, was originally constructed as a passenger plane and operated with a number of airlines before being converted into a cargo aircraft in 2015, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
Official statements and impact
"We're working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened," said Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel. "Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, wellbeing, and care of everyone involved. We're doing everything we can to support those affected."
Around 250 flights faced delays at the airport on Sunday afternoon.
