ByAyesha Ali and Christopher Watson
WABC: Five people are dead and five people are injured after an Amazon Air cargo plane from Puerto Rico overran a runway at Miami International Airport, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a news conference Sunday evening.
The names of the deceased and the injured have not been released.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday it is sending a team, led by NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, to investigate the incident, which took place Sunday afternoon.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Amazon confirmed the incident in separate statements.
“21 Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 6. The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft departed from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico,” the FAA statement said.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon, said in a statement. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
“The airplane, which was operated by 21 Air, was attempting to land when this incident occurred. We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to learn more and will cooperate fully with any investigation,” the statement added.
The CEO of 21 Air said in a statement Sunday night the company is “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. Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available,” the CEO, Keith Winters, said in a statement. “We are cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and local authorities. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation.”
Preliminary data from Flightradar24 shows the plane was going approximately 128 mph as it went off the runway.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said Sunday that around 200 personnel responded to the incident and worked quickly to both conduct search and rescue and extinguish flames caused by the crash.
“One person was trapped under one of the involved vehicles and had to be extricated by specialized MDFR technical rescue personnel,” the department said in a statement. “Specialized MDFR hazardous materials (HazMat) units safely shut down the aircraft’s engine and worked to mitigate a fuel leak.”
“There were a total of 10 patients, and MDFR transported five patients by ground. Three were transported to a local trauma center. The other two were assessed and transported to local area hospitals,” the statement added.
A ground stop at Miami International Airport was lifted around three hours after the incident, with two of the four runways now reopened, according to officials.
