An Amazon Prime Air cargo jet overran the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, plowed into multiple vehicles, and caught fire, killing at least five people and injuring five others in one of the deadliest U.S. airport incidents in years.
The Boeing 767-300, operating as 21 Air Flight 7598, had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before touching down in Miami at approximately 2:00 p.m. local time. Instead of stopping on the diagonal runway, the freighter kept going, sliding past the airport operations boundary, slamming into vehicles, and erupting in flames that sent heavy black smoke billowing over one of the nation's busiest airports, Fox News Digital reported.
County emergency-dispatch records show the first call came in at roughly 1:55 p.m., five minutes before the crash time logged by officials. Within minutes, more than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units and approximately 200 personnel flooded the scene. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office confirmed at least 10 total victims: five dead, five injured.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue posted on X that crews found the aircraft engulfed in flames on arrival:
"Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing. Firefighters are working on extinguishing the fire and assessing patients."
Fire officials told Fox News Digital that the blaze started in the engine compartment. HazMat teams shut down the engine while airport firefighting crews doused the wreckage with specialized foam. Even after the flames were knocked down, the danger was far from over.
Miami-Dade Fire Chief Raied Jadallah warned that fuel was still pouring from the aircraft:
"We do still have an active fuel leak that's occurring off of the aircraft that is being mitigated."
Three of the five injured victims were rushed to a trauma center in critical condition. Two more were transported to a local hospital; their conditions were not disclosed. The pilots and co-pilots were trapped inside the cockpit, and search-and-rescue teams worked to reach them. At least one person on the ground was pinned beneath a struck vehicle and required specialized technical rescue to free, Breitbart reported.
Authorities have not said publicly whether the five dead were vehicle occupants, crew members, or some combination. The names of the cockpit crew have not been released. The New York Post reported that the two pilots were among the injured and were taken to a nearby hospital, though that detail has not been confirmed by a second source.
Boeing confirmed that the 767-300 involved in the crash was first delivered as a passenger plane in 1994 and later converted to a cargo freighter. The company did not say when the conversion took place or who performed it.
Boeing issued a statement extending condolences and confirming its cooperation with investigators:
"Boeing extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in the accident in Miami. Our hearts go out to those injured and affected by this tragedy. Boeing is supporting the investigation led by the U.S National Transportation Safety Board."
Aviation safety investigators will face a long list of unanswered questions. No one has publicly addressed weather conditions, mechanical status, or any crew-related factors at the time of landing. Amazon described the event only as an "incident while attempting to land", a phrase that reveals nothing about what went wrong. The recent fatal air ambulance crash in New Mexico already raised pointed questions about aviation safety gaps; this disaster in Miami will sharpen them.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy moved quickly to shut down operations at Miami International, one of the country's largest hubs for both commercial and cargo traffic. He posted on X:
"We've issued a full ground stop at Miami International while first responders assess the scene after an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway. If you're traveling through the area, please expect significant delays and potential cancellations."
Newsmax reported that the airport confirmed all runways and taxiways were closed as of 3:00 p.m., with a ground stop in effect. One runway later reopened, but the airport was still experiencing significant disruptions. Passengers with Sunday flights were told to check directly with their airlines for updates.
The FAA confirmed the flight details, 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300, departing San Juan, and said it will investigate. The NTSB is leading the broader probe, per Boeing's statement. Whether the NTSB has formally deployed a Go-Team to the scene remains unclear from available statements.
Fatal crashes involving cargo aircraft on U.S. soil are rare but not unheard of. In recent years, a small plane crash near Bowie, Maryland, killed all three aboard, and a skydiving plane crash in France killed 11, prompting similar investigative probes. What sets the Miami crash apart is the toll on people who were simply on the ground near the airport, struck by a freighter that never stopped.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel, identified in the Washington Examiner's coverage, released two statements. The first acknowledged the deaths:
"We're heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today's incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss."
The second statement confirmed the aircraft was operated by 21 Air and called the situation "fast-moving":
"We can confirm that an Amazon Air plane operated by 21 Air experienced an incident while attempting to land at Miami International Airport today. This is a fast-moving situation and we're still gathering details. We're working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened. Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We're doing everything we can to support those affected."
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the rescue team "was there within seconds of the crash" and posted on X that the county's focus was on supporting first responders. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue later transitioned to a supportive role, with units remaining on scene to assist partner agencies.
Not every crash ends with total loss. Just recently, all 11 people aboard a Kenmore Air floatplane survived after a crash and fire near Washington's San Juan Islands. The people on the ground near Miami's runway had no such luck. They were not passengers. They were not crew. They were simply in the wrong place when a 32-year-old freighter failed to stop.
Five families now need answers that neither Amazon nor 21 Air has provided. Until the NTSB finishes its work, the only honest word for what happened on that runway is the one no official has been willing to say plainly: failure.
