Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami airport kills five

At least five people died when a cargo aircraft operated by Amazon overshot a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon. The Boeing 767, identified as Prime Air Flight 7598, landed at 1:58 pm local time from San Juan, Puerto Rico, then skidded into a line of vehicles, igniting a fire that engulfed the plane’s engine compartment.

The crash

Miami-Dade County fire chief Ray Jadallah told reporters that three victims were rushed to trauma centres in critical condition while two others received treatment at a nearby hospital. "The airplane did strike a couple of vehicles," he said, adding that rescuers had to perform a complex extrication to free the pilot and co‑pilot, who were trapped inside the fuselage.

Fire crews deployed roughly 60 fire apparatuses and close to 200 personnel, using foam to douse the flames and specialised HazMat units to seal a fuel leak. One person was trapped under a vehicle and required specialised technical rescue equipment to be freed.

Implications for Amazon and aviation

The crash comes as Amazon expands its Prime Air logistics network, relying on a fleet of Boeing 767s to move packages across the United States. Any disruption to that fleet could affect delivery timelines and increase costs for the e‑commerce giant.

Airport operations were also hit hard. All runways and taxiways were closed for several hours, forcing airlines to cancel or delay numerous flights. By evening, two of the airport’s four runways had reopened, but the incident underscored the vulnerability of major hubs to unexpected events.

Investigation and next steps

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have opened a joint investigation. The NTSB announced a “go team” is on site to determine the cause of the runway excursion.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company will cooperate fully with investigators and expressed sympathy for the victims. "We're heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives," she said.

Local officials, including Miami Sheriff Rosie Cordero‑Stutz and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, praised the rapid response of first responders and urged travellers to check with airlines before heading to the airport.

While the immediate focus is on rescue and recovery, the longer‑term outcome will likely involve a review of cargo‑plane operating procedures, runway safety standards and possibly tighter oversight of freight carriers operating at congested airports.