An Amazon cargo plane left the runway during landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday (6), hit several vehicles, caught fire and left at least five dead and five injured, three in critical condition. The Boeing 767-300, operated by the airline 21 Air for Amazon Prime Air, had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and exceeded the runway limit around 2 p.m. The pilot and co-pilot were trapped in the cockpit after the impact, and rescue teams also found victims trapped in vehicles hit by the aircraft.
More than 60 emergency units and approximately 200 professionals participated in rescue work, and firefighters had to deal with a fuel leak. The operation caused a temporary disruption of operations at the airport, with canceled flights, significant delays and aircraft diverted to other Florida terminals.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) initiated investigations to determine the causes of the accident. Among the points to be analyzed are weather conditions, the speed and trajectory of the aircraft during landing, as well as runway conditions. Amazon reported that it is cooperating with authorities and that supporting those affected is the priority.
The Boeing 767 involved is approximately 32 years old and was converted from a passenger plane to a cargo aircraft in 2015. The accident highlights the importance of Miami International Airport as one of the main air terminals in the United States and a center for international cargo transport.
