The Miami International Airport (MIA) woke up this Monday engulfed in operational chaos, with hundreds of flights delayed or canceled a day after a Amazon Prime Air cargo plane skidded off the runway, resulting in the deaths of five people, according to reports from El Nuevo Herald.
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 is that five people have died and another five are 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 classified the fire as "very complex." Authorities closed all runways and taxiways, while U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a temporary suspension of flights to Miami.
Two of the four runways were reopened on Sunday afternoon, but the operational recovery has been slow and painful for thousands of travelers caught in 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 in arrivals. Other sources report over 160 cancellations and nearly 325 delays accumulated since Sunday. A ground delay program from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) remained in effect, with average delays of up to 384 minutes due to the disabled aircraft on the runway.
The shortage of rooms in nearby hotels forced numerous passengers to spend the night at the airport. "I haven't slept at all. People are sleeping on benches, on the floor," recounted Indy Council, one of those affected.
Other travelers did not find flight alternatives until Tuesday. "They delayed it about three times and finally canceled it, so our option is not to leave until Tuesday," said Marah Edwardo, who was scheduled to fly to North Carolina.
The situation was repeated for many others: "First I had a reservation with United, and they canceled it, so I immediately changed it to American... I was in this line for a while, and now my second flight has also been canceled," said Polina Radchenkova.
Airport employees handed out bottles of water while 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 while normal operations are being 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. Preliminary lines of inquiry point to adverse weather conditions, possible hydroplaning, and brake system failures. The NTSB has scheduled a press conference for this Monday to provide the first technical details of the incident.
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