Abstract:
On September 7, according to Bloomberg, on Sunday local time,
an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway and caught fire at Miami International Airport, killing at least five people and causing the airport runway to be closed
. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Boeing 767-300 aircraft operated by 21 Air Airlines, flight number Prime Air 7598, overshot the runway after arriving from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico at around 2 p.m.
Prime Air 7598 rushes off the runway
The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department announced on the
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a press conference that in addition to the five deaths, five others were injured, three of whom were in critical condition. "We will continue to keep you updated as information is confirmed. Our entire community is praying and mourning tonight for those affected," she said.
Miami International Airport spokesperson Indira Almeida-Pardillo said in a statement: "Prime Air Flight 7598 overran the diagonal runway of Miami International Airport and is currently parked at the northwest end of the airport." She said that as of 3 p.m., all runways and taxiways have been closed and ground grounding orders have been implemented. Greg Chin, another airport spokesman, said at least two runways had reopened hours later.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Giardala said some of the victims were trapped in vehicles that were struck by the plane. He told a press conference that a "very complex fire" also broke out at the scene. A fire broke out in the engine compartment of the aircraft. The fire continued while firefighters searched and rescued the captain and co-pilot trapped inside the aircraft. At that time, a total of 60 firefighting units rushed to the scene. He added: "They were on scene within 30 seconds of receiving the call."
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned in a post on X that there will be serious delays at the airport and flights may be cancelled.
Cargo airline 21 Air, based in Miami, will operate Boeing 767-300 freighters on behalf of Amazon starting in 2024.
Amazon confirmed that one of its planes operated by 21 Air was involved in an accident while trying to land in Miami. "We are working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened," Amazon spokesperson elly Nantel said in a post on
FAA stated that it will launch an investigation into the incident
. The National Transportation Safety Board said it was also launching an investigation and would hold a media briefing on Monday.
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