Tragic Runway Excursion at Major Travel Hub
An Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, striking multiple vehicles outside the airfield boundary and erupting into flames. According to local authorities, the crash resulted in at least five deaths and left five other individuals injured, three of whom are in critical condition.
The incident involved Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air. The aircraft had arrived from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and went past the end of the diagonal runway shortly before 2:00 p.m. local time. Tracking data cited by Reuters and other outlets indicated the plane was moving at roughly 130 mph as it left the usable portion of the pavement.
Emergency Response and Airport Disruptions
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue deployed more than 60 units and approximately 200 personnel to the scene. Responders encountered a complex rescue operation, as the aircraft had broken through the perimeter fence, crossed a nearby roadway, and collided with vehicles before coming to rest near semi-trucks.
Miami-Dade Fire Chief Ray Jadallah stated that the pilot and co-pilot were trapped inside the cockpit and subsequently rescued. Several occupants in the struck vehicles were also trapped, and emergency crews spent hours managing a persistent fuel leak and extinguishing heavy flames.
The accident forced a temporary full ground stop at Miami International Airport, halting arrivals and departures for roughly three hours. While airport officials gradually reopened portions of the airfield later in the evening, the incident caused widespread delays and flight disruptions across one of the busiest cargo hubs in the United States.
Investigation Underway
Federal authorities have mobilized to determine the exact cause of the runway excursion. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board launched formal investigations, with an NTSB investigative team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy deployed to the site.
Representatives for Amazon expressed condolences to the families of the victims and stated that the company is fully cooperating with investigators. Similarly, 21 Air leadership released a statement expressing devastation over the accident and committing full cooperation with federal and local agencies. Officials have not yet released the identities of those killed or injured, pending notification of next of kin.
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