Daijiworld Media Network - Miami

Miami, Sep 7: Five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway and crashed at Miami International Airport in Florida, authorities said.

The accident occurred at around 1:58 pm local time on Sunday, Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said at a press conference.

Five injured people were taken to hospital, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. Video footage from the scene showed thick smoke rising from the aircraft.

More than 60 emergency units and around 200 firefighters responded to the crash, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at the airport at around 2 pm Eastern Time. The aircraft, a Boeing 767-300 cargo plane, had departed from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The FAA said an investigation into the incident would be conducted. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the aircraft had “experienced an incident while attempting to land” and that the company was still gathering details.

Two killed in California plane crash

Meanwhile, two people were killed and two others critically injured after a small aircraft crashed in Fresno, California, on Saturday.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said first responders found a burning fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft atop a bluff overlooking the San Joaquin River. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and prevented it from spreading to nearby homes.

Four people were aboard the aircraft. Two children were pronounced dead at the scene, while two adults were rushed to hospital in critical condition.

The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.