Miami Cargo Jet Crash Kills Five After Overshooting Runway
A Boeing 767 freighter operated by Prime Air and leased from 21Air crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday, killing five people. The plane, which had left Puerto Rico just before 11:45 a.m. local time, overshot the runway and struck several cars. Firefighters were quickly on the scene, with the first units arriving within 30 seconds of the call being placed.
The pilot and co-pilot were trapped inside the cockpit, according to Miami-Dade fire chief Ray Jadallah. At least two people were trapped in cars that the plane had struck. Three of the five people injured were in critical condition, Jadallah said.
Firefighters propped a ladder up against one of the cockpit's windows and made their way into the plane, but were unable to enter due to the risk of toxic gases or explosion. The jet's left engine was still running, making it difficult for rescuers to approach the plane. Foam was used to put out the flames, and crews had to deal with a fuel leak.
The cause of the crash is still being investigated, but it has emerged that the runways at Miami airport do not have an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS), which is designed for aircraft weighing over 12,500 pounds. The EMAS helps bring planes that overshoot the runway to a stop.