Five people have died, and five others were seriously injured after an Amazon Air cargo plane overshot the runway and crashed at Miami International Airport.
The Boeing 767-300 aircraft, operated by charter company 21 Air, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it went off the diagonal runway just before 2:00 pm local time on Sunday. The crash also struck several vehicles on the ground, adding to the confusion and devastation at the scene.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed the toll at a news conference on Sunday evening. “At least five people have lost their lives, and five others are injured,” she said, noting that rescue crews arrived within seconds of the impact. Three of the survivors remain in critical condition.
Over 200 firefighters rushed to the site, battling heavy flames and smoke before extinguishing the blaze. However, officials noted that a fuel leak remained at the crash site, complicating the recovery efforts.
It is not yet clear whether the victims were aboard the plane or on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation to determine exactly what caused the aircraft to overrun the runway.
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The incident occurred over the Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately grounded all flights at the airport, leaving thousands of passengers stranded, frustrated, and facing widespread cancellations.
Amazon released a statement expressing deep sorrow over the event. “We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident,” said Kelly Nantel, Amazon’s Director of Corporate Global Media Relations. “We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to learn more and will cooperate fully with any investigation.”
For now, the runways are quiet, and the investigation has just begun. But for the families of the five who lost their lives, the focus is not on flight schedules or corporate statements. It is on the sudden, heavy silence left behind on a day that was supposed to be just another journey home.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
