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

An Amazon cargo plane crashed off a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, resulting in at least five fatalities and multiple injuries, authorities reported. The aircraft departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and made an emergency landing around 2 p.m. after veering off the runway and crashing onto a road inhabited by warehouse workers and nearby businesses.

Miami-Dade County officials disclosed that five individuals had lost their lives, with three in critical condition and two others hospitalized with less severe injuries. The exact identities of the deceased are yet to be determined, as it is unclear if they were passengers on the plane or occupants of the struck vehicles. Thick black smoke enveloped the scene as the crash sent debris flying and trapped the pilot and copilot in the cockpit, along with some passengers in their vehicles.

Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah stated that additional personnel had to be deployed to extricate a person who was pinned under a vehicle. The incident caused a significant disruption to the airport's operations, temporarily grounding a large number of flights. Emergency services responded to the scene, with around 200 personnel involved in the rescue and recovery efforts.