Miami, September 7
At least five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo plane ran off a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday and struck vehicles on a nearby road, authorities said.
The Prime Air aircraft overran the runway at around 2pm after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It crossed a road used by warehouse workers and businesses surrounding the airport before coming to a stop near two semi-trucks.
Five people were killed, while three of the injured were in critical condition. Two others were taken to hospital with less serious injuries, Miami-Dade County officials said.
It was not immediately clear whether the pilots survived or whether all those killed were inside vehicles when the plane crashed.
Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said the pilot and copilot were trapped in the cockpit following the crash, while several people were trapped in vehicles. Firefighters also had to rescue a person trapped beneath a vehicle.
The crash sent thick black smoke into the sky and halted flights at the busy airport for much of Sunday afternoon.
Around 200 emergency personnel responded to the scene. Firefighters found the aircraft engulfed in heavy flames and smoke from what authorities described as a complex engine-compartment fire.
Specialised airport firefighting units used foam to extinguish the blaze. Crews were still dealing with a fuel leak from the aircraft several hours after the crash.
Images from the scene showed the cargo plane lying beside a roadway near two semi-trucks. The aircraft appeared to have come to rest on its belly and remained largely intact despite the fire.
The cause of the crash had not been determined. It was also unclear whether weather conditions contributed to the accident.
The National Weather Service reported thunderstorms and wind gusts of up to 30 mph (48 kph) in the area around the time of the crash.
