Miami: At least five people died and five others were hurt when an Amazon Prime Air cargo jet skidded off the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, slamming into vehicles on a perimeter road and erupting in fire, AP reported.
The Boeing 767-300 freighter, operated by 21 Air for Amazon, arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and overran Runway 30 around 2 p.m. local time, officials said. Miami-Dade County officials told reporters that five people were killed, three were critically injured and two others were hospitalized with less severe injuries. They cautioned that it was too soon to say whether the dead were aboard the aircraft or in the vehicles it hit.
Firefighters Douse Blaze, Free Trapped
The crash, which sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky, trapped the pilot and copilot in the cockpit and some occupants in cars, said Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah. The agency said crews also had to extricate a person who was trapped under a vehicle.
Some 200 emergency personnel responded, finding the plane with heavy flames and smoke from a complex engine compartment fire, the department said. Firefighters used foam from specialized airport firefighting units to extinguish the fire, and crews were still dealing with a fuel leak on the plane hours later.
The Prime Air plane came to rest beside a roadway near two semi-trucks, images showed. The aircraft appeared to be resting on its belly and was largely intact despite the fire.
Cause Unclear
Investigators had not pinpointed a cause and said it was too early to tell if weather was a factor. At the time of the accident, the Miami area saw thunderstorms with wind gusts as high as 30 mph (48 kph), the National Weather Service reported.
The service was being provided by 21 Air, a cargo operator headquartered in North Carolina. Data from Flightradar24 show the 32-year-old Boeing 767 spent more than 20 years flying passengers for multiple airlines before being reconfigured as a freighter in 2015.
By late Sunday, FlightAware counted more than 160 cancellations and nearly 325 delays tied to the shutdown. Orlando International Airport, located over 200 miles (320 km) north of Miami, said it took in several diverted flights.
NTSB Team Sent; Amazon Pledges Cooperation
The National Transportation Safety Board announced it was dispatching a “go team” to Miami, with Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy serving as the board member on scene.
Amazon said it would fully cooperate with the investigation.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” the company said. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
