MIAMI — At least five people were killed and five others were hospitalized Sunday after a cargo aircraft operating for Amazon overran a runway while landing at Miami International Airport, struck multiple vehicles and caught fire, according to authorities.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 cargo plane. The FAA said the aircraft overran the runway after landing at approximately 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 6. The flight had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Amazon confirmed that the aircraft was operating for the company and was operated by 21 Air. The company said it was working with local authorities to determine what happened and was focused on supporting those affected by the crash.
Miami-Dade County officials said five people were killed. Five additional people were hospitalized, including three who were reported in critical condition and two with less severe injuries.
Authorities had not immediately established publicly whether all of those killed were aboard the aircraft or were in vehicles struck after the plane left the runway. The Associated Press reported that rescuers encountered people trapped in the cockpit and vehicles as emergency crews worked through the crash scene.
The aircraft struck multiple vehicles after leaving the runway and subsequently caught fire. Images and video from the area showed heavy smoke rising from the airport as firefighters and other emergency personnel responded.
The crash resulted in significant disruption at Miami International Airport. Airport operations were temporarily halted, and hundreds of flights were affected as authorities secured the area and emergency crews worked around the damaged aircraft. Operations later began resuming, but substantial delays and cancellations were expected.
The crash also left investigators with significant questions about what caused the Boeing 767 to continue beyond the usable portion of the runway.
The FAA confirmed that it will investigate the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating, with the NTSB expected to take the lead in determining the probable cause of the crash.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, flight data and cockpit voice recorders, crew actions, weather, runway conditions, aircraft systems and other evidence as they work to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash. No cause should be considered established until investigators release their findings.
The investigation could take considerable time, and information released during the first hours following a major aviation accident is preliminary and may change. The FAA itself notes that information released immediately following aviation accidents and incidents is preliminary.
The identities of those killed have not been included in this report pending official notification and confirmation.
NCN is monitoring information released by federal investigators, Miami-Dade authorities, Miami International Airport and other official sources as the investigation continues.
This is a developing story. Information, including casualty figures and details surrounding the crash, may be updated as authorities release additional confirmed information.
