Haunting details from fiery crash of Amazon cargo plane that killed five as officials describe ‘utter devastation’

HAUNTING new details have emerged in the fiery Amazon cargo plane crash at a major airport that left five people dead and five others injured. The harrowing incident occurred on Sunday when the massive Boeing aircraft overran the runway at Miami International Airport and plowed into several vehicles, including a work van that was carrying a cleaning crew. Tesla cars are parked in a lot next to where a crashed Amazon Prime Air cargo plane came to rest after the aircraft overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday Credit: Reuters Damaged vehicles are seen at Miami International Airport following the deadly aerial crash Credit: Getty “I would describe it in one word as devastating, utter devastation,” Jennifer Homendy, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said during a press conference on Monday. “You can see on the paved surface tire marks that continues through the grass, there’s debris everywhere. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Homendy said the Econoline van, which was carrying seven people, was completely destroyed. “The vehicle SUV, you can see airbags, surrounding airbags. You can see components from vehicles, both passenger vehicles and the aircraft itself,” she added. “Hard to see. I’m sure it must’ve been very difficult for the responders as well.” Despite the investigation being in the recovery phase, Homendy said NTSB officials are looking at the history of the flight, the crews’ experiences and training, radar data, and aircraft performance. The chairwoman said the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder were both recovered and are being evaluated. The cargo plane was about 1,300 feet above the runway when it shot over the airstrip, striking airport equipment, and a cleaning work van that was inside the airport perimeter. Most read in The Sun The aircraft then proceeded to rip through the perimeter fence, plowed through a Toyota Corolla traveling on a nearby road, and continued onto a grassy field. The plane finally stopped near an area where a row of parked Tesla robotaxis. Dramatic footage showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky as first responders rushed to extinguish the flames and rescue survivors. Video obtained by NBC affiliate WTVJ captured the moment the pilot jumped out of the cargo plane immediately after the crash. “It was shocking to witness all of that; then, unexpectedly, we saw the pilot jump out of the cockpit door and run for his life as the plane rapidly burst into flames,” Olvin Henriquez, who drove past the crash site, told the outlet. Jennifer Homendy, the chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, spoke to reporters on Monday about the investigation into the Amazon Cargo plane crash in Miami Credit: Getty The Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 crashed off the runway west of Miami International Airport Credit: Shutterstock Editorial “My family and I quickly turned the car around, fearing the plane might explode violently.” Homendy revealed the Amazon flight crew survived the crash. They have since been released from the hospital, according to the outlet. The victims have not been identified. Harrowing emergency audio showed the pulse-pounding seconds firefighters scrambled to tackle the raging blaze and rescue survivors trapped under rubble. “The plane is on fire,” first responders are heard saying over radio traffic, according to audio obtained by the Miami Herald. “The plane is one fire. Put your game faces on guys.” Firefighters raced to get hoses close enough to the aircraft to douse the heavy flames and smoke pouring from the wreckage. But the operation was made even more dangerous because the plane’s left engine was reportedly still running. The live engine prevented firefighters from safely entering the aircraft to search for anyone trapped inside. Radio traffic reportedly captured crews saying the pilots had told them they could not shut it down because they would need to energize the aircraft. Firefighters were then forced to flood the engine with water in an attempt to disable it. At the same time, other rescuers were battling to free seriously injured people from vehicles struck by the cargo plane. One victim was trapped underneath a vehicle and had to be freed by specialist rescue crews. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Raied Jadallah described the operation as a “very complex situation,” with crews also battling an active fuel leak. Around 200 firefighters and 60 units were involved in the mammoth emergency response, with crews arriving within just 30 seconds of receiving the call. The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash.