FIVE DEAD AFTER AMAZON CARGO PLANE CRASHES AT MIAMI AIRPORT — BOEING 767 ERUPTS IN FLAMES AFTER OVERRUNNING RUNWAY

A routine cargo flight turned into a deadly disaster Sunday afternoon when an Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767-300 overran a runway at Miami International Airport, struck multiple vehicles and erupted into flames.

At least five people were killed and five others injured, including three who were reported to be in critical condition, according to local officials and Reuters.

The aircraft, operating as Amazon Prime Air Flight 7598, had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, before the crash at Miami International Airport.

What caused the aircraft to leave the runway remains unknown.

A FIERY CRASH AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL

The Boeing 767-300, operated by 21 Air for Amazon, was landing at the airport when it overran the runway.

The aircraft struck multiple vehicles on the ground before coming to a stop badly damaged and surrounded by flames.

Huge clouds of thick black smoke rose above the airport and could be seen from a distance as emergency crews raced toward the wreckage.

More than 60 emergency units and around 200 responders were sent to the scene.

A fuel leak also complicated the emergency response.

PILOTS TRAPPED INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT

The crash immediately triggered a massive rescue operation.

The pilot and co-pilot were initially trapped inside the aircraft, while at least two other people were reportedly trapped in vehicles that were struck during the runway overrun.

Firefighters worked to reach those caught in the wreckage as crews battled the flames and secured the area.

By Sunday evening, some airport operations had resumed, although the crash caused significant disruption and delays.

WHO WERE THE VICTIMS?

One of the biggest unanswered questions remains the identities and locations of the victims.

Authorities had not publicly identified those who died in the immediate aftermath.

It was also not initially clear whether all of the fatalities occurred aboard the cargo aircraft or among people on the ground.

Investigators are expected to reconstruct the final moments of Flight 7598 to determine exactly how the aircraft left the runway and how the deadly collision unfolded.

INVESTIGATORS NOW FACE A CRITICAL QUESTION

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.

The cause has not been determined.

Investigators will examine the aircraft, runway, weather conditions, flight data and communications between the crew and air traffic controllers as they try to establish what happened during the landing.

At this stage, officials have not publicly blamed a mechanical failure, pilot error or weather for the disaster.

The investigation is expected to take time.

AMAZON RESPONDS

Amazon and 21 Air expressed their condolences and said they were cooperating with authorities investigating the crash.

For the families of those killed, however, the investigation will mean more than determining what went wrong with an aircraft.

They are waiting to learn exactly how their loved ones died — and why.

A cargo flight that began in San Juan ended in a wall of flames at one of America’s busiest airports.

Now investigators must piece together the final moments of Flight 7598.

And the answers may lie buried inside the wreckage.