Video footage from Miami International Airport reveals a Boeing 767‑300 cargo aircraft operated by Amazon Air derailed while attempting to land, overshooting the runway and striking several parked vehicles. Five crew members aboard the plane lost their lives, and five others suffered serious injuries.
The hard‑landing occurred just before 2:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. GMT) on a day when flights from Puerto Rico were halted by weather and air‑traffic constraints. The cargo flight had departed Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan earlier that afternoon with a load of goods destined for the Florida market.
According to witnesses, the aircraft's wheels left the runway at full speed, leaving a sizable skid mark. The impact triggered a fire that eventually consumed the tail section of the plane. Several cars parked alongside the runway were severely damaged.
Officials said that an investigation had been launched following the Austrian-based aviation safety authority of the United States. The Florida Department of Transportation and the National Transportation Safety Board have requested for additional flight data recorders and cockpit voice recordings to determine the weight, balance and mechanical status of the aircraft.
The crash underscores the safety risks associated with rapid cargo operations that push aircraft to the limits of the runway margins. Flight regulators around the world are reviewing runway length requirements for short airports with elevated wind shear conditions.
For additional updates, visit the BBC News article here.
