Five people are dead and at least five others were injured after an Amazon-branded cargo plane crashed just outside Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon.
The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft overran the runway just before 2 p.m. ET while it was landing, according to officials. The plane was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The plane overran runway number 30, and came to rest at a field next other the airport, Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said.
Three people are in critical condition and were transported to a trauma center, and another two that were transported to a local hospital, Miami-Dade Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said.
A hotline has been set up for family members who may have been involved in the tragedy. The scene remains active.
Video showed plumes of smoke billowing from the wreckage. Multiple vehicles near the airport were struck, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
The FAA identified the plane as a 21 Air aircraft.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel clarified that it was an Amazon flight operated by 21 Air. The company is working to support everyone affected, Nantel 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,” she said. “Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved.”
All runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport were closed following a ground stop, an airport spokesperson said in a statement. After 5 p.m. ET, two of the four runways at the airport had reopened, the airport spokesperson said, and the airport was under a ground delay.
Fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene “within seconds,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene, where firefighters worked to extinguish a “very complex fire” that involved blazing engine compartments, said Jadallah, the fire chief. A search and rescue operation was also launched to retrieve the pilot and co-pilot, trapped in the plane, he said.
The plane struck “a couple of vehicles,” leaving some victims trapped inside and prompting a “a complex extrication” by a technical rescue team, Jadallah said.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it is gathering information. The FAA and NTSB will determine the cause of the crash.
The NTSB said it has launched a team to investigate the incident.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Maya Rosenberg and Austin Mullen contributed.
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