Miami, Sept 7: At least five people were killed after an Amazon cargo plane overshot a runway at Miami International Airport and crashed into vehicles before bursting into flames, authorities said.
The aircraft overran the runway at around 2 p.m. after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to Miami-Dade County officials. Three people sustained critical injuries, while two others were hospitalised with less serious injuries.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units rushed to the scene, where firefighters battled the blaze and attended to the injured.
The Prime Air aircraft came to a stop beside a roadway near two semi-trucks, according to images from the crash site. The plane appeared to have landed on its belly and remained largely intact despite the fire.
The flight was operated by North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air. The 32-year-old Boeing 767 was originally built as a passenger aircraft and served with several airlines for more than two decades before being converted into a freighter in 2015, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24.
Around 250 flights were delayed at the airport by late afternoon, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight disruptions.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it was gathering information about the crash and working to determine what led to the incident.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company was working closely with local authorities and officials, adding that the safety and well-being of everyone involved remained the company’s top priority.
