Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a full ground stop at Miami International Airport on Sunday after an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway and caught fire.
The incident occurred at approximately 2 p.m. EDT when 21 Air Flight 7598 overshot the runway following a landing at Miami International Airport.
The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft had arrived from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before the crash unfolded.
At least five people were killed in the incident, with others hospitalized as emergency responders rushed to the scene Sunday afternoon.
The aircraft overran Runway 30, struck multiple vehicles on or near the airport grounds, and came to rest in a field adjacent to the airport.
A thick black plume of smoke rose into the air as the plane caught fire following the runway overrun, drawing immediate emergency response from local authorities.
“We’ve issued a full ground stop at Miami International while first responders assess the scene after an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway,” Duffy wrote on social platform X at just before 3:30 p.m. EDT.
Duffy also warned travelers that significant disruptions were likely, writing, “If you’re traveling through the area, please expect significant delays and potential cancellations.”
The National Transportation Safety Board said it has launched a “go team” to investigate the incident, a standard deployment for major aviation accidents.
The operator of the aircraft, 21 Air, is a cargo carrier based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and was operating the flight on behalf of Amazon at the time of the crash.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement that the company was “still gathering details” about the crash and added, “We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened.”
The NTSB investigation is expected to examine flight data, crew actions, weather conditions, and the runway environment to determine the cause of the overrun.
Miami International Airport is one of the busiest cargo hubs in the United States, and the incident prompted widespread flight delays and cancellations throughout the afternoon.
