Five Killed as Amazon Cargo Plane Crashes at Miami Airport

At least five people have been killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway and crashed at Miami International Airport in the United States.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed the death toll during a news conference on Sunday evening, saying, “At least five people have lost their lives, and five others are injured.” Three of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

The aircraft, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operating Amazon Prime Air Flight 7598, was operated by 21 Air and had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, before attempting to land in Miami. The plane overran the airport’s diagonal runway at about 2pm local time and struck multiple vehicles near the airport.

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft was travelling at 112 knots, equivalent to about 129mph or 207km/h, when it exited the usable runway.

The crash triggered a major emergency response, with more than 60 rescue units and about 200 personnel deployed to the scene. The aircraft caught fire, while emergency crews also dealt with a fuel leak.

The pilot and co-pilot were reportedly trapped inside the aircraft after the crash, while people in vehicles struck by the plane also required rescue assistance. Authorities had yet to release the identities of those killed.

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Amazon confirmed that the aircraft was operated by 21 Air and said it was working with authorities to establish what happened.

In a post on X, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said, “We can confirm that an Amazon Air plane operated by 21 Air experienced an incident while attempting to land at Miami International Airport today.”

She added, “This is a fast-moving situation and we’re still gathering details. We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened.”

“Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We’re doing everything we can to support those affected,” Nantel said.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the crash, while the Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the incident.

The accident temporarily disrupted operations at Miami International Airport, with flights halted following the crash. Two of the airport’s four runways had reopened by Sunday evening, although significant delays and cancellations were reported.