On Sunday, September 6, 2026, a Boeing 767-300 cargo plane operating as flight 7598 and flown by 21 Air overran a diagonal runway at Miami International Airport during landing. The aircraft struck multiple vehicles, caught fire, and resulted in at least five fatalities, triggering temporary flight suspensions and heavy emergency responses.
The Crash and Immediate Emergency Response at Miami International
Earlier this week, aviation safety protocols were severely tested in southern Florida. A Boeing 767-300 operating as flight 7598 for Prime Air overran the limits of a diagonal runway during landing at Miami International Airport. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before the fatal incident occurred around 14:00 local time.
Here is why that matters for the local infrastructure: upon overrunning the pavement, the cargo plane collided with multiple ground vehicles situated in the northwestern or northeastern perimeter of the airfield. The impact ignited a massive blaze, sending towering plumes of thick black smoke billowing across the airfield and into the surrounding airspace. Miami-Dade Aviation confirmed that the wreckage ultimately came to a rest near a perimeter roadway.
Emergency response units mobilized instantly. More than 60 units from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue descended on the scene, deploying water and chemical foam to beat back intense flames engulfing the aircraft’s fuselage. Rosie Cordero-Stutz, sheriff of Miami, addressed the public following the initial chaos, noting that while the incident posed no ongoing threat to public safety, authorities had confirmed at least five fatalities at the site alongside several injuries.
Operational Disruptions and Immediate Transportation Fallout
The sudden catastrophe crippled air traffic across one of the busiest cargo and passenger hubs in the United States. Miami International Airport authorities ordered an immediate suspension of all arriving and departing flights, closing every active runway and taxiway as emergency teams fought the fire and investigators secured the perimeter.
Air traffic control command centers directed incoming flights to divert to alternate airports, including facilities in Puerto Rico, as ground stops rippled through the regional network. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned travelers and logistics operators to anticipate significant delays and potential cancellations while the terminal remained locked down. Operational recovery began incrementally later that Sunday afternoon, with officials reopening a primary runway around 16:15 local time and a second strip roughly 30 minutes later, according to Miami-Dade Aviation updates.
Corporate and Regulatory Accountability
Logistics giant Amazon and operating partner 21 Air faced immediate scrutiny as federal investigators moved in to reconstruct the final moments of flight 7598. Kelly Nantel, speaking as a spokesperson for Amazon, released a statement acknowledging that the aircraft involved was operating under their Prime Air network through 21 Air. Nantel emphasized that the company was cooperating fully with local and federal authorities to determine the exact sequence of events, stressing that the organization’s immediate priority centered on the welfare of those affected.
Federal inspectors from the FAA deployed to the scene to examine the incident. Because the flight originated in San Juan, investigators are reviewing the event.
Key Incident Data at a Glance
| Metric / Parameter | Reported Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and Time | Sunday, September 6, 2026, approx. 14:00 local time |
| Aircraft Type | Boeing 767-300 (Cargo Configuration) |
| Flight Designation | Amazon / Prime Air Flight 7598 (Operated by 21 Air) |
| Origin Point | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Casualties | At least 5 confirmed dead, multiple injured |
| Emergency Response | Over 60 units deployed by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue |
The Broader Supply Chain and Aviation Safety Landscape
But there is a wider regulatory context. Incidents involving widebody freighters overrunning runways draw intense scrutiny. The road to fully understanding flight 7598’s final descent has only just begun.
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