At least five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, officials said.
Prime Air Flight 7598 went beyond the airport's diagonal runway shortly before 2 pm EDT (1800 GMT) and hit several vehicles on the ground, according to officials.
Miami-Dade Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said three of the injured people were in critical condition. Two people were reportedly trapped inside vehicles hit by the aircraft, while the pilot and co-pilot remained trapped in the plane following the crash.
Emergency crews were also dealing with a fuel leak from the aircraft later in the afternoon. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said more than 60 units and over 200 personnel were sent to the scene.
The department said, “Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing.”
32-year-old Boeing 767 involved
The aircraft was a Boeing 767-300 freighter that had been flying from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami. According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, the 32-year-old aircraft had previously been used as a passenger jet by several airlines between 1994 and 2015.
Video footage released by NBC 6 showed the large cargo plane lying across a road near the airport, with thick smoke rising from the wreckage.
The aircraft was operated for Amazon by cargo airline 21 Air. The company said in a statement, "We are devastated by the accident involving one of our aircraft in Miami today. Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives."
Flightradar24 said the aircraft was travelling at 112 knots (129 mph) when it left the usable runway.
NTSB to investigate crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a team to Miami to investigate the accident. The team is being led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, with the agency expected to hold its first media briefing on Monday.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company was collecting information and working with authorities to establish what led to the crash. She said Amazon's immediate priority was the “safety, well-being, and care” of everyone involved.
Boeing and 21 Air said they would cooperate with government investigators.