Amazon confirmed this Sunday that the cargo plane that crashed during its landing at the Miami International Airport was operated by 21 Air and stated that it is working with the authorities to clarify what happened, while prioritizing the care of the affected individuals.
"We can confirm that an Amazon Air flight operated by 21 Air encountered an incident while attempting to land today at Miami International Airport," stated the company's spokesperson, Kelly Nantel, in a statement released by Amazon News on X.
"This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we are still gathering details. We are working closely with authorities and local officials to understand exactly what happened," Nantel noted.
The spokesperson particularly emphasized the situation of the individuals involved in the accident.
"At this moment, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We are doing everything we can to support those affected," he stated.
The statement was made after a Boeing 767-300 cargo plane operated by 21 Air for Amazon overshot the runway during landing at Miami International Airport this Sunday.
The aircraft, identified as flight 7598, had taken off from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, en route to Miami.
After overshooting the runway, it ended up outside the designated landing area, and the first images showed flames and a huge column of black smoke.
Fire and Rescue teams from Miami-Dade responded in large numbers to the scene. Subsequent reports indicated that the plane crashed into several vehicles and that emergency services were attending to multiple individuals, although the severity of the injuries had not been specified initially.
The accident also caused serious disruptions to airport operations.
The United States Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, announced a ground stop for flights to Miami while emergency teams assessed the situation.
The airport itself reported that all its runways and taxiways were temporarily closed and advised passengers with scheduled flights to check directly with their airlines before heading to MIA.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an investigation and the dispatch of inspectors to determine the causes that led the Boeing to overshoot the runway during landing.
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