Five Killed After Amazon Cargo Plane Crashes at Miami Airport

A serious accident occurred at Miami International Airport on Sunday when an Amazon cargo plane crashed while landing. According to local officials, the Boeing 767 aircraft overran the runway at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time. The plane, which had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, continued past the end of the runway and came to a stop in a field near the airport fence. During the event, the aircraft struck several vehicles and caught fire, creating a dangerous scene for first responders.

At least five people were killed in the crash. Miami-Dade County officials reported that three other individuals were taken to hospitals in critical condition, while two others suffered less severe injuries. It is not yet clear if those who died were members of the flight crew or people who were in the vehicles struck by the plane. Fire rescue teams worked quickly to reach the site, with more than 60 units responding to the emergency. Chief Ray Jadallah of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue department noted that the pilot and copilot were trapped inside the cockpit, and other victims were stuck inside their vehicles.

For several hours after the crash, emergency crews worked to put out the fire and manage a fuel leak from the damaged aircraft. Thick black smoke could be seen rising from the scene, which was captured in videos shared on social media. Despite the fire, the 32-year-old plane appeared to remain mostly in one piece. According to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24, the aircraft had originally been built as a passenger plane before being converted to carry cargo in 2015.

Amazon confirmed that the flight was operated by 21 Air, a contract cargo carrier based in North Carolina. Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon, expressed the company's sadness regarding the tragedy. "We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident," the company stated. Amazon officials added that they are working closely with local authorities to understand what happened and are focused on supporting the families and loved ones of those affected.

The crash caused significant disruptions at one of the busiest airports in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop—an order preventing planes from taking off or landing—which lasted until late Sunday afternoon. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned travelers to expect major delays and potential cancellations. According to data from FlightAware, approximately 250 flights were delayed by the end of the day. The Miami-Dade Aviation Department also reported that all runways and taxiways were closed following the incident.

Local residents near the airport were shocked by the event. Jackson Lee, who owns a shop close to the crash site, told news agencies that he and his colleagues saw smoke rising near the airport fences shortly after the crash. "We hear planes taking off and landing every five minutes," Lee said. "I never thought it could come this close to us."

Federal agencies have now begun the difficult work of finding out why the crash happened. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigates major transportation accidents, confirmed it has sent a team to the site to gather evidence. The FAA is also conducting its own investigation. As of now, the exact cause of the runway excursion—when a plane goes off the end or side of a runway—remains unknown. Authorities have promised to provide more information as the investigation moves forward.