At Least Five Dead After Amazon Cargo Plane Overshoots Runway at Miami Airport

At least five people have been killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo aircraft overran a runway while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, September 6.

The Boeing 767-300 freighter, operating as Prime Air Flight 7598 on behalf of Amazon and flown by cargo airline 21 Air, had travelled from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aircraft overran the runway at around 2pm local time, crossed beyond the airport grounds and struck several vehicles before catching fire.

Emergency crews were confronted with a complex rescue operation as heavy smoke and flames engulfed parts of the aircraft. More than 60 fire and rescue units responded to the scene. Several people became trapped in vehicles struck by the plane, while the pilot and co-pilot also had to be rescued from the cockpit.

Five people were confirmed dead. Of the five others injured, three were taken to a trauma centre in critical condition, while two were transported to hospital with less severe injuries. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the victims, and early reports did not establish whether those killed were aboard the aircraft or on the ground.

The crash initially brought operations at Miami International Airport to a standstill, with a full ground stop imposed while emergency services responded. Two runways were subsequently reopened and the ground stop was lifted after roughly three hours, although significant delays continued.

Amazon said it was “heartbroken” by the loss of life and that its priority was supporting those affected. The company said it would cooperate fully with investigators.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Both the US Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are examining what caused the 32-year-old Boeing 767 to overrun the runway.

The tragedy has left families grieving as investigators begin the painstaking work of establishing exactly what went wrong in the aircraft’s final moments.