Some footage showed flames spreading along portions of the aircraft, while thick smoke poured from the wreckage. Despite the violent nature of the crash, the fuselage appeared largely intact in images recorded at the scene.
The incident quickly triggered a major emergency response and brought operations at one of South Florida’s busiest airports to a halt.
Miami International Airport imposed a full ground stop following the crash. Departures were suspended at approximately 2:30 p.m., while emergency crews secured the area around Northwest 34th Street and Northwest 67th Avenue.
Airport officials warned travelers to check with their airlines before making their way to the airport, as the crash caused significant disruptions to normal operations.
“Prime Air Flight 7598 overran Miami International Airport’s diagonal runway at approximately 2 p.m. today, leaving the aircraft disabled at the northwest end of the airport. All MIA runways and taxiways are currently closed, and a full ground stop is in effect. Passengers with flights scheduled today should check directly with their airline for flight status updates before heading to the airport,” Miami International Airport said in a statement.
The Boeing 767 was operating as a cargo aircraft, meaning there were no ordinary passengers aboard. Initial reports, however, indicated that injuries had occurred in connection with the crash.
Local outlet WSVN reported injuries, although authorities initially had not provided a complete accounting of those affected or disclosed the severity of their injuries. The condition of the flight crew was also not immediately available in the first reports following the crash.
The emergency response grew rapidly as firefighters and rescue personnel arrived at the scene and confronted a burning aircraft.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said crews encountered heavy flames and smoke when they reached the crash site. Officials also reported that the aircraft struck several vehicles in the area near the 2100 block of Northwest 42nd Avenue.
More than 60 fire and rescue units were dispatched as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control and reach those injured in the incident.
“Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing. Firefighters are working on extinguishing the fire, and there are multiple patients,” the department said.
The department said additional information about the victims would be released as it became available.
Authorities later delivered a far more grim update.
At least five people were confirmed dead, while another five were injured. Some of those injured were reportedly suffering serious injuries, turning what initially appeared to be a runway overrun into a deadly aviation disaster.
The crash also raised immediate questions about what caused the heavily loaded cargo aircraft to leave the runway during landing.
Weather conditions were unsettled at the time of the incident. The Federal Aviation Administration reported thunderstorms in the area, with temperatures around 86 degrees Fahrenheit and winds from the south at approximately 19.6 knots.
The FAA listed the airport’s status as involving a “disabled aircraft on the runway,” with an estimated resolution time of 4:30 p.m. EDT.
The combination of thunderstorms, strong winds and a runway excursion will likely become important factors as investigators work to determine precisely what happened during the aircraft’s landing.
For airport officials, the immediate priority was dealing with the victims, extinguishing the fire and securing the crash area.
For travelers, the consequences were immediate as well. With runways and taxiways temporarily closed, passengers scheduled to depart Miami International Airport faced delays and cancellations while emergency crews operated at the scene.
The tragedy serves as another stark reminder of how quickly conditions can change during commercial aviation operations. A Boeing 767 carrying cargo arrived at Miami expecting a normal landing after its flight from Puerto Rico. Within moments, the aircraft had crossed the runway boundary, struck vehicles and erupted in flames.
Investigators will now have the difficult task of reconstructing the final moments of Flight 7598 and determining why the aircraft could not stop within the available runway.
As authorities continue examining the crash, officials are expected to review the aircraft, runway conditions, weather, flight data and actions taken by the crew during the landing.
The five fatalities make the Miami crash a major aviation tragedy, while the injuries and extensive emergency response underscore the seriousness of the incident.
Further details are expected as investigators piece together what led the Amazon Prime Air cargo jet to overrun the runway and leave a deadly scene behind at Miami International Airport.
