An Amazon cargo plane crashed after skidding off the runway at Miami International Airport in the US state of Florida.
According to a global news agency, the plane could not maintain control of the runway after landing and skidded off the runway and entered a parking area, dragging several vehicles with passengers in them.
Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the plane, which also engulfed the vehicles. Clouds of black smoke covered the airport and chaos ensued.
More than 60 fire and rescue units extinguished the fire and evacuated the victims safely. 5 people died in the accident and as many were seriously injured.
The US Federal Aviation Administration said that Amazon Prime Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300, had arrived in Miami from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The fire rescue chief said that some people were trapped inside their vehicles after the crash, while the pilot and co-pilot of the plane were also trapped inside the plane.
Aviation officials did not immediately provide the final number of crew or passengers on board.
Rescue officials said that the problem of fuel leakage from the plane continued for several hours after the crash, which led to extra precautions in the rescue operation.
The 32-year-old plane was converted into a cargo plane
According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, the Boeing 767 that crashed was about 32 years old.
The plane was used as a passenger plane for more than two decades, after which it was converted to a cargo plane in 2015.
The plane was operating cargo flights for Amazon, but it was not operated directly by Amazon, but by 21 Air.
However, Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said that the flight operation of the plane was not operated by Amazon, but by 21 Air.
She added that the company is working with local authorities and relevant agencies to find out the full details of the incident.
What was the cause of the accident?
The US National Transportation Safety Board took notice of the incident and said that it was aware of the accident and would provide more information about the investigation later.
On the other hand, the FAA has also started an investigation into the accident.
It was initially unclear why the plane left the runway during landing. Authorities are reviewing the weather, the technical condition of the plane, the pilot’s actions and other possible factors.