At least five people have died and five others were injured after an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran the runway during landing at Miami International Airport (MIA), struck multiple vehicles on a nearby roadway, and burst into flames.
Runway Excursion and Crash Details
The incident occurred around 2:00 p.m. local time when Prime Air Flight 7598—a Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico—was attempting to land.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft failed to come to a stop on the designated runway, traveling off the airfield perimeter and colliding with several vehicles parked along an adjacent roadway, including semi-trucks and passenger cars. The impact sparked a severe fire, sending thick clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky visible across the airfield.
Massive Emergency and Technical Rescue Response
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) dispatched a massive emergency response to the crash site. Nearly 200 firefighters and 60 fire apparatuses responded to fight the blaze and search for survivors.
“A complex extrication with our technical rescue team [was required], including a search and rescue of the pilot and co-pilot that were trapped in this aircraft,” stated MDFR Chief Ray Jadallah. First responders conducted firefighting operations while simultaneously performing heavy rescue operations to free individuals pinned inside both the aircraft and the struck ground vehicles.
Five fatalities have been confirmed at the scene, with five additional victims transported to local hospitals for medical treatment.
Airport Operations and Investigation
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, the FAA issued a full ground stop, closing all runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport. While airport authorities lifted the ground stop later in the afternoon, officials warned that significant flight delays and reduced operational capacity will continue due to the disabled aircraft and ongoing emergency operations.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the cause of the runway excursion. The NTSB announced that it has deployed a “Go Team” to the scene to examine weather conditions, flight data, mechanical systems, and air traffic control communications leading up to the landing.