At least five people die in Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami airport
An Amazon cargo aircraft crashed after overrunning the runway during its landing at Miami International Airport, killing at least five people.
Dozens of flights at Miami International Airport were cancelled or delayed Monday, Sept. 7, a day after an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway, killing at least five people and hospitalizing five others.
Prime Air Flight 7598 crashed into multiple vehicles and erupted in flames around 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, after it overran an airport runway. Fire and rescue crews worked to contain a fuel leak late into the evening Sunday.
As of 9 a.m. ET Sept. 7, airport spokesperson Greg Chin said the aircraft had not yet been relocated. Two of the airport’s four runways remain closed, Chin said.
The deadly crash happened during the Labor Day travel rush at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
At least 55 flights have been cancelled, and more than 100 others are delayed at Miami International, according to FlightAware. The airport advises travelers to check with their airline for schedule changes.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to hold a news conference Sept. 7 on their ongoing investigation into the crash.
“We will continue to update you as soon as information is confirmed,” Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz told reporters Sept. 6.
At least three of the injured are in critical condition, Miami-Dade fire officials said. Some victims were trapped inside and underneath vehicles. Video of the accident obtained by NBC News Miami shows a cloud of black smoke billowing from the aircraft.
When firefighters got to the scene, the plane was engulfed in flames. They used a specialized foam to extinguish the fire, and worked to rescue victims, officials said in a Sept. 6 statement.
Air Flight 7598, an Amazon Air Boeing 767-300 jet, had departed San Juan, Puerto Rico, earlier in the day on Sept. 6. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said travelers using Miami International Airport should expect delays and potential cancellations.
“We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened,” Amazon told USA TODAY in a statement. “Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved.”
USA TODAY reached out to the flight’s operator, 21 Air, for comment.
Contributing: James Powel and Michael Loria, USA TODAY