The Miami International Airport (MIA) woke up this Monday engulfed in operational chaos, with hundreds of flights delayed or canceled a day after a cargo plane from Amazon Prime Air went off the runway, resulting in the deaths of five people.
The accident occurred on Sunday around 2:00 p.m. when flight 7598 from 21 Air, a Boeing 767-300 coming from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overshot the runway upon landing, collided with multiple vehicles, and ignited a large fire.
The official report indicates five deceased individuals and another five injured, three of whom are in critical condition, including the two pilots of the aircraft, who were trapped during the rescue operations.
The emergency response mobilized around 60 units from the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department, which described the fire as "very complex." Authorities closed all runways and taxiways, while U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a temporary suspension of flights heading to Miami.
Two of the four runways were reopened on Sunday afternoon, but the operational recovery has been slow and painful for many travelers affected during one of the busiest weekends of the year: Labor Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday of September.
According to flight tracking data, this Monday there were approximately 150 cancellations out of a total of 957 scheduled flights, with average delays of up to 145 minutes for arrivals. Other sources indicate more than 160 cancellations and nearly 325 accumulated delays since Sunday. A ground delay program from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) remained active, with average delays of up to 384 minutes due to an aircraft disabled on the runway.
The shortage of rooms in nearby hotels forced many travelers to spend the night at the airport. According to reports from El Nuevo Herald, some passengers had to sleep on benches or directly on the floor: "I haven't slept at all. People are sleeping on the benches, on the floor," recounted Indy Council, one of those affected.
Other travelers found no flight alternatives until Tuesday. "They postponed it about three times and finally canceled it, so our alternative is not to leave until Tuesday," said Marah Edwardo, who was scheduled to fly to North Carolina.
The situation repeated itself for many others: "I first had a reservation with United, and they canceled it, so I immediately changed it to American... I waited in this line for a while, and now my second flight has also been canceled," shared Polina Radchenkova.
Airport employees handed out bottles of water as passengers waited in long lines to manage itinerary changes.
American Airlines announced that it will waive certain fees for passengers traveling to, from, or through MIA as normal operations are restored. Authorities recommend checking directly with airlines before heading to the airport.
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have opened investigations into the accident. Although storms and strong gusts of wind were recorded in the vicinity of the airport, authorities have yet to determine what factors caused the aircraft to skid off the runway. The NTSB has scheduled a press conference for this Monday to provide the first technical details about the incident.
Related videos:
Filed under: