An Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 cargo plane overran the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, striking multiple vehicles and bursting into flames, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airport officials. The incident forced the closure of all runways at one of the busiest airports in the United States.
The aircraft, which had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, skidded off the tarmac and came to rest beside a road near two parked semi-trucks. Social media footage showed the jet lying on its underside, largely intact but engulfed in fire, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky.
There was no immediate word on casualties, the FAA and Miami International Airport said in statements. The plane was operated by Amazon Prime Air, the e-commerce giant's dedicated cargo arm, which uses a fleet of Boeing 767s for its logistics network.
Emergency response and airport disruption
Emergency crews rushed to the scene and worked to contain the blaze. The airport announced on social media that all runways were temporarily closed, causing significant disruption to arrivals and departures. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines for flight status updates.
The FAA said it would investigate the incident, which occurred mid-afternoon local time. The agency did not specify the number of people on board, but cargo flights typically carry a small crew of pilots and sometimes loadmasters.
This is not the first time a cargo aircraft has overrun a runway in the United States, but the dramatic images of the burning jet drew widespread attention. The Boeing 767 is a workhorse of the global air freight industry, and Amazon Prime Air has expanded rapidly in recent years, operating dozens of these aircraft across North America and Europe.
While the incident took place in Florida, it has implications for European aviation observers, who monitor safety trends across the Atlantic. European regulators, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), often collaborate with the FAA on investigations and safety recommendations.
The crash also echoes recent maritime incidents involving cargo vessels, such as the sinking of a cargo ship in the Marmara Sea after a collision, which highlighted the risks faced by freight transport. In that case, ten crew members remain missing, and a tanker captain was later arrested over the collision.
Aviation safety experts point out that runway overruns are among the most common types of accidents, often caused by factors such as wet runways, mechanical issues, or pilot error. The FAA will examine the aircraft's flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders to determine the cause.
Miami International Airport is a major hub for both passenger and cargo traffic, serving as a gateway between the United States and Latin America. The closure of its runways, even temporarily, is likely to have ripple effects on flight schedules across the region.
As of Sunday evening, the airport had not announced when operations would fully resume. The FAA said it would provide updates as the investigation progresses.
For European readers, the incident serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of global supply chains and the importance of rigorous safety standards in air freight. European carriers, including Lufthansa Cargo and Air France-KLM, operate similar wide-body freighters on transatlantic routes, and any safety lessons learned from this event could influence procedures on both sides of the Atlantic.
