Five people have been killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo plane overshot the runway while attempting to land at Miami International Airport in the United States.
The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft, operated by charter company 21 Air, crashed shortly before 2:00 p.m. local time (19:00 GMT) after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The aircraft overran the airport’s diagonal runway and came to rest at the northwest end of the airport, according to Miami International Airport.
The plane also struck several vehicles on the ground, with some people reportedly trapped inside or underneath the vehicles.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed five fatalities and five injuries at a news conference on Sunday evening. Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said three of those injured were in critical condition.
Fire and rescue crews responded within seconds of the crash, according to the mayor. More than 200 firefighters were deployed to the scene, where the aircraft caught fire and produced heavy flames and smoke.
The fire was extinguished, although officials reported a fuel leak at the crash site.
It was not immediately clear whether all those killed were aboard the aircraft or on the ground.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the incident as emergency crews worked at the scene, while flights at the airport were disrupted, with several cancellations and delays reported.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to investigate the incident and provide further information.
Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed the aircraft travelling at about 112 knots (129 mph/207 km/h) as it exited the usable runway. The tracking service also reported light thunderstorms and gusting winds in Miami around the time of the crash.
Amazon said it was working with local authorities and would cooperate fully with the investigation.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” Amazon Director of Corporate Global Media Relations Kelly Nantel said.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
The crash caused significant disruption at Miami International Airport during the US Labor Day holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had estimated that about 17 million travellers would pass through US airports during the week leading up to the Labor Day holiday, with approximately 2.3 million expected to travel by air on Sunday.
BBC
