The plane from Puerto Rico is believed to have overrun the runway when coming in to land
Five people are dead after an Amazon cargo plane reportedly veered off the runway and burst into flames while landing at a major Florida airport.
At least another five people were also injured during the incident.
The Boeing 767, which had travelled from Puerto Rico, is said to have overrun the runway at Miami International Airport before crashing into multiple vehicles. Thick black smoke and huge flames could be seen engulfing the scene as emergency services raced to the airport.
Mayor of Miami-Dave County, Daniella Levine Cava, said she was “closely monitoring the situation.”
Speaking at a press conference she said: “We can confirm that we have at least five deceased individuals”, adding it was an “incredibly difficult day”.
She also confirmed “Multiple individuals were transported to local hospitals with unknown injuries”.
Sean Duffy, the US Secretary of Transportation, said he had issued a “full ground stop at Miami International while first responders assess the scene”.
He warned passengers to expect “significant delays and potential cancellations”.
Kelly Nantel, Amazon’s director of corporate global media relations confirmed an Amazon Air plane “experienced an incident while attempting to land”.
“This is a fast-moving situation and we’re still gathering details. We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened,” she added.
“Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We’re doing everything we can to support those affected.”
The dramatic incident brought operations at Miami International Airport to a standstill, however, flights have since resumed.
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said: “21 Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at Miami International Airport around 2 pm local time on Sunday, September 6.
“The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The FAA will investigate.”
“Contact the airline for additional information”, it added in a post on X.
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In a statement, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said: “Over 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units are on scene of an incident involving a plane that overran a runway and struck multiple vehicles near Miami International Airport.
“Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing. Firefighters are working on extinguishing the fire and assessing patients.”
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