Newsletters
Five people were killed, and five others were injured after a cargo plane belonging to U.S. tech company Amazon overran a runway at Miami International Airport in Florida on Sunday.
The 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft operating as Amazon Prime Air, overran the runway after landing around 2:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT), according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The aircraft had departed from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and struck multiple vehicles before catching fire, prompting more than 60 fire rescue units to respond.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah reported that 10 people were involved in the incident. Three of the injured were in critical condition and were taken to a trauma center, while two others were transported to a local hospital.
Fire officials confirmed that the aircraft caught fire as a result of the crash.
The FAA issued a ground stop for inbound flights to Miami International Airport, citing the disabled aircraft and restrictions affecting the runway and taxiways. The airport reported that the plane was left disabled at the northwest end of a diagonal runway, forcing all runways and taxiways to close.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said first responders were assessing the scene and warned travelers to expect significant delays and possible cancellations. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office also closed part of Northwest 67th Avenue near the airport because of the large emergency response.
After hours of holding flights Sunday, with numerous delays and cancellations affecting commercial passengers, two of the airport's four runways had reopened. The airport also told travelers to check directly with their airline before heading there.
The FAA will investigate the incident, while the National Transportation Safety Board is gathering information about the crash.
An Amazon spokesperson said the aircraft had experienced an incident while attempting to land and that the company was working with local authorities to understand what had happened. Operator 21 Air did not immediately respond to Anadolu's request for comment.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company would cooperate with any investigation and expressed condolences to those affected by the crash.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
