Five people have died and five others were seriously injured after an Amazon Air cargo plane overshot the runway while landing at Miami International Airport in the United States according to BBC.
The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft crashed shortly before 2pm local time after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The plane also struck several vehicles on the ground.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed the fatalities during a news conference, saying emergency crews reached the scene within “seconds” of the crash.
“At least five people have lost their lives, and five others are injured,” she said.
Three of the injured victims were reported to be in critical condition. Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said some of those affected were trapped inside or beneath vehicles and had to be rescued by emergency crews.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to lead the investigation, with officials scheduled to provide further updates.
According to Miami International Airport, the Amazon flight, operated by North Carolina-based charter company 21 Air, “overran Miami International Airport’s diagonal runway and is disabled at the northwest end of the airport.”
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said firefighters arrived to find the aircraft on fire, with heavy flames and smoke coming from the crash site. More than 200 firefighters responded, eventually putting out the blaze, although a fuel leak remained at the scene.
Amazon expressed condolences to the victims and said it was cooperating with authorities.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” said Kelly Nantel, Amazon’s Director of Corporate Global Media Relations.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
Flight tracking data indicated that the aircraft was travelling at about 112 knots, or 129 mph, when it left the “useable runway”.
The crash occurred during one of the busiest travel periods in the United States, with the Labor Day holiday weekend causing significant disruption at the airport. Several flights were cancelled or delayed, leaving passengers facing long queues and difficulties finding alternative travel arrangements.
The Transportation Security Administration had forecast that about 17 million travellers would pass through US airports in the week leading up to the Labor Day holiday, with approximately 2.3 million expected to fly on Sunday alone.