Five people were killed and five others were injured after an Amazon cargo plane crashed outside Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, officials said. The Boeing 767-300 cargo plane overran the runway just before 2 p.m. ET while landing, according to officials. The plane, 21 Air Flight 7598, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The plane overran runway 30, crashed into several vehicles and came to rest in a field next to the airport, Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said. Three people were in critical condition and were taken to a trauma center, and two others were taken to a local hospital, Miami-Dade Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said. A hotline has been set up for relatives of people who may have been involved in the accident. The scene remains active. Video showed columns of smoke rising from the rubble. The plane, Jadallah said, hit “a couple of vehicles.” An Amazon brand cargo plane after crashing at Miami International Airport on Sunday. Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesAmazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the flight was operated by 21 Air and was about to land when the incident occurred. “We are heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest condolences go out to the families, loved ones and everyone affected by this devastating loss,” Nantel said. All airport runways and taxiways were closed following a ground stop, an airport spokesperson said in a statement. After 5 p.m. ET, two of the four runways had reopened, the spokesperson said, and the airport was under a ground delay. Fire and rescue personnel responded “within seconds,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. More than 60 Miami-Dade fire and rescue units responded to the scene, where firefighters worked to extinguish a “very complex fire” that involved burning engine compartments, Jadallah said. A search and rescue operation was launched to recover the pilot and co-pilot, who was trapped in the plane, and a technical rescue team carried out a “complex rescue” of the people who were trapped inside the vehicles that the plane hit, he said. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is gathering information. The FAA and NTSB will determine the cause of the accident. The NTSB has launched a team to investigate. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. I am a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital, covering a variety of daily news topics. My job is to timely report on crime, mass shootings, war coverage, national and international affairs, pop culture and more. Jay Blackman Jay Blackman is an NBC News producer covering transportation, space, medical and consumer issues. Juliette Arcodia Juliette Arcodia is a Southern Region producer for NBC News. Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Maya Rosenberg, Austin Mullen and Joe Kottke contributed.
