At least five dead after Amazon cargo plane overshoots Miami runway

An Amazon cargo plane veered off a runway at Miami International Airport, struck several vehicles and burst into flames, killing at least five people, police said.

The aircraft overran the runway at about 2 p.m. after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Rescue officials said it hit multiple vehicles after leaving the runway, but it was too soon to establish whether those who died were on the plane or in the cars.

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We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened.

Three people were critically injured and two others were hospitalized with less serious injuries, Miami-Dade County officials said. More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the burning aircraft, extinguished the flames and assessed the injured.

The plane, a 32-year-old Boeing 767 operated by North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air, came to rest beside a road near two semi-trucks. Images showed it resting on its belly and largely intact despite the fire. The aircraft had originally carried passengers and was converted to a cargo plane in 2015.

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Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, wellbeing and care of everyone involved.

The crash shut all runways and taxiways. About 250 flights had been delayed by late Sunday afternoon, according to FlightAware, and the FAA warned that delays could continue even after the airport reopened. The National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering information.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said, “We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened.” Amazon said it would cooperate with any investigation and expressed sympathy to the victims’ families.

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We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport.