Black boxes recovered from Amazon cargo plane crash in Miami

The flight data and cockpit voice recorders, known as black boxes, have been retrieved from the Amazon Prime Air cargo plane that crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, resulting in five fatalities on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman, Jennifer Homendy, revealed that the two devices are being transported to Washington for assessment.

The Boeing 767-33A, operated by Miami-based 21 Air LLC, exceeded the runway by approximately 396 meters (1,300 feet) and struck two vehicles: a van carrying airline cleaning personnel and a car on a road outside the airport perimeter. The plane's pilot and co-pilot survived the incident and have not yet been interviewed. Five people were injured, with three sustaining critical injuries.

The NTSB, comprising a team of 32 investigators, is currently conducting an extensive investigation at the airport, which has had two of its four runways closed for evidence recovery and jet fuel removal. Homendy described the scene as "utter devastation," noting the extensive debris and damage to both the vehicles and the aircraft, including scorch marks on the right side of the plane.

The crash was the third flight for the Amazon cargo plane, which originated in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after stops in Cincinnati and Miami. The NTSB will analyze the impact of the airport's lack of an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS), a device designed to prevent runaway aircraft, in its investigation. The public is encouraged to submit any photos or videos of the scene to assist the ongoing inquiry.