Five people were killed and five others were injured after an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway and crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday, sending thick smoke into the sky and prompting a major emergency response involving about 200 firefighters.
The accident happened at about 1:58 pm local time, according to Miami Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero Stutz, who provided details during a news conference. Miami Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava later confirmed that five injured people were taken to hospital for treatment.
Emergency crews rushed to the airport after the aircraft crashed following its landing attempt. Video footage from the scene showed a large cloud of thick smoke rising from the aircraft, while fire and rescue personnel worked around the crash site.
Miami Dade Fire Rescue said more than 60 emergency response units were dispatched to the airport. Around 200 firefighters took part in the operation as authorities worked to deal with the wreckage, treat the injured and secure the area.
Cargo Flight From Puerto Rico
The aircraft was an Amazon cargo plane operating as Air Flight 7598. The Federal Aviation Administration said the Boeing 767 300 cargo aircraft had departed from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before flying to Miami.
According to the FAA, the aircraft overran the runway after landing at Miami International Airport at around 2 pm Eastern Time. The agency said it would investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The difference between the reported accident time from local authorities and the landing time cited by the FAA reflects the initial information being gathered as emergency crews responded to the incident. Officials were still working to establish the precise sequence of events surrounding the landing and runway overrun.
The FAA has not released a detailed explanation of what caused the aircraft to leave the runway. Investigators will examine the aircraft, runway conditions, flight data and other evidence as they work to determine what happened during the landing.
Amazon Says Details Are Still Being Gathered
Amazon confirmed that one of its cargo aircraft was involved in an incident while attempting to land.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company was aware of the crash and was working to gather information as the situation developed.
"This is a fast moving situation and we're still gathering details," Nantel said in a statement included by the FAA.
The company did not immediately provide further information about the condition of the aircraft or the people affected by the crash.
The Boeing 767 300 is widely used for cargo operations, including by major freight and logistics companies. Aircraft of this type can carry substantial loads, making runway incidents involving cargo planes particularly serious for emergency crews dealing with damaged aircraft.
Authorities have not provided details about the number of people aboard the Amazon flight at the time of the accident. They also have not released information identifying those who were killed or injured.
Major Emergency Response at Miami Airport
The scale of the emergency response reflected the seriousness of the incident.
More than 60 Miami Dade Fire Rescue units were sent to the airport, with approximately 200 firefighters involved in the response. Crews faced the immediate challenge of dealing with a crashed aircraft while also assessing the condition of people near the scene.
The thick smoke seen in footage from the airport indicated that emergency crews had to move quickly to control the situation and prevent further danger.
Airport crashes can create several hazards for emergency responders. Damaged aircraft can contain fuel and other materials that require careful handling, while wreckage can spread across a wide area after a runway overrun.
The authorities' first priority was to reach those who needed medical attention. Five people were subsequently taken to hospital, according to Mayor Levine Cava.
Officials have not yet released detailed information about the severity of the injuries. The identities and conditions of the five people who died have also not been made public in the information available from authorities.
Investigation Underway
The Federal Aviation Administration said an investigation would be conducted into the crash.
Investigators will have to determine why the Boeing 767 300 was unable to remain within the runway area after landing. A runway overrun can result from a combination of factors, including aircraft speed, braking performance, runway conditions, weather, mechanical issues or problems during the landing approach.
At this stage, authorities have not said that any particular factor caused Sunday's crash.
Investigators typically examine information from the aircraft, airport and air traffic control systems when reconstructing an aviation accident. They may also review communications between the flight crew and controllers, weather information, runway conditions and maintenance records.
The condition of the aircraft itself can provide further evidence. Damage to landing gear, engines, control systems or other components may help investigators determine whether a mechanical problem played a role.
However, none of those possibilities has been identified by officials as the cause of the crash.
The FAA's initial statement confirmed only that the aircraft overran the runway after landing and that an investigation would follow.
Questions Surrounding the Landing
The precise circumstances of the landing remained unclear as emergency operations continued.
The aircraft had flown from San Juan to Miami before the incident. It was carrying cargo for Amazon, but authorities have not released details about the cargo involved.
Investigators will need to establish what happened during the final stage of the flight and whether the aircraft encountered difficulties before touching down.
The timing of the incident will also form part of the investigation. Sheriff Cordero Stutz said authorities were notified of the accident at approximately 1:58 pm local time, while the FAA said the aircraft landed at around 2 pm Eastern Time.
Those early reports provide an initial framework for investigators but do not by themselves explain how the crash unfolded.
Officials are also expected to assess the airport environment at the time. Information about the runway, weather and aircraft performance could help determine whether the plane experienced difficulty slowing down after landing.
Until that evidence is examined, authorities have not assigned responsibility or identified a cause.
Miami International Airport Responds to Fatal Crash
The crash occurred at one of the United States' major international airports, where large passenger and cargo aircraft operate throughout the day.
An accident involving a cargo aircraft can have consequences beyond the immediate crash site because airport authorities must secure affected areas, coordinate emergency crews and manage aircraft movements while the incident is investigated.
The response at Miami International Airport involved local emergency services as well as federal aviation authorities.
The presence of a large firefighting operation also meant that crews had to work alongside airport personnel in an active aviation environment. Securing the aircraft and surrounding area is an important part of preventing additional injuries while investigators begin collecting evidence.
Authorities have not indicated how long the investigation or any restrictions connected to the crash would last.
Families Await Further Information
For the families of those killed and injured, the immediate focus will be on receiving confirmed information from authorities.
Five people lost their lives in the crash, while another five were transported to hospital. Officials have not yet released their names or provided detailed accounts of their injuries.
The absence of further information is expected to change as authorities complete their initial work at the airport and investigators begin examining the aircraft and available records.
The Federal Aviation Administration's investigation will seek to establish what went wrong during the landing and why the aircraft overran the runway.
For now, officials have confirmed the central facts. Amazon Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767 300 cargo aircraft flying from San Juan, crashed after overrunning the runway at Miami International Airport. Five people died, five were injured and a large emergency operation was deployed at the scene.
Investigators now face the task of reconstructing the aircraft's final moments and determining the cause of the fatal crash.