At least 5 dead after Amazon cargo plane barreled off runway at Miami airport

An Amazon cargo plane crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday, resulting in at least five fatalities and multiple injuries, according to initial reports. The aircraft struck vehicles and ignited in a fiery explosion shortly after landing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, around 2 p.m. local time. Three individuals sustained critical injuries, two others required hospitalization for less severe wounds, while the fate of those aboard the plane remains uncertain.

Miami-Dade County officials are still investigating whether the deceased were onboard the aircraft or in the struck vehicles. Thick black smoke billowed from the wreckage, trapping the pilot and copilot within the cockpit, and some passengers in their respective vehicles. The crash halted air traffic at the bustling airport for several hours, and fire crews continued to battle a fuel leak several hours after the incident.

The Prime Air plane, a Boeing 767 converted from a passenger carrier to a cargo vessel in 2015, came to rest adjacent to a roadway near two semi-trucks. Over 250 flights were disrupted due to the crash, according to FlightAware. The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched an investigative team to Miami, led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.

Amazon expressed its deep sorrow over the incident and confirmed its willingness to cooperate with the inquiry. A local electronics shop owner recounted hearing non-stop takeoffs and landings prior to the crash, describing the proximity of the airport as unsettling.