Amazon Cargo Plane Crash in Miami Kills Five, Injures Five

Five people are dead and five others are in hospital after an Amazon cargo plane overshot a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The aircraft, Prime Air Flight 7598, had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and came to rest in a field adjacent to the airport after running off runway 30 at around 1:58 p.m. local time. It struck at least two vehicles and burst into flames, sending thick black smoke into the sky.

Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz confirmed the death toll and said several people were taken to local hospitals with injuries of varying severity. Officials said it was too early to say whether the deceased were on board the plane or in the vehicles that were hit.

Fire rescue crews faced a complex scene, with the pilot and co-pilot trapped in the cockpit and some occupants pinned inside vehicles. Technical rescue teams carried out difficult extrications while battling fires in the aircraft's engine compartments. One person was also reported trapped under a vehicle.

The crash halted flights at the busy airport for much of the afternoon, with about 250 flights delayed by late Sunday, according to flight-tracking data.

The aircraft, a 32-year-old Boeing 767, was originally built for passenger service and converted to a cargo plane in 2015. It was operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina-based cargo carrier, on behalf of Amazon.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed condolences to the families of the victims and praised the rapid response of first responders. An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.