Five Latino cleaning workers were killed on September 7 when an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway at the Aeropuerto Internacional de Miami, crashing into vehicles and erupting in flames, according to local authorities. The accident occurred around 14:00 local time as the aircraft operated by 21 Air completed a flight originating from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz confirmed that five people died in the disaster, while five others sustained injuries (France 24).
Five Latino Workers Killed in Runway Overrun at Miami International Airport
The aircraft, a Boeing 767-300, breached a perimeter fence after touching down and struck a white 2012 Ford Econoline van carrying seven people. The van belonged to Professional Ocean Service Corporation, a sub-contracted cleaning company. The victims were identified by the sheriff’s office as Rolando Alemán León, 55; Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47 (Yahoo Noticias). Relatives and legal representatives described the men as hardworking colleagues who had formed a close bond while cleaning planes together (Yahoo Noticias).
Cockpit Warnings and Flight History
Details from the cockpit voice recorder indicate that the pilot repeatedly warned the co-pilot that the aircraft was moving far too fast during the approach. According to a National Transportation Safety Board summary, the co-pilot did not offer a coherent verbal response to the warnings. Former Federal Aviation Administration official Mike O’Donnell noted that the crew had multiple options to shed speed—such as deploying spoilers, lowering engine power, dropping the landing gear, or initiating a go-around maneuver.
The cargo plane was completing its third flight of the day, having previously traveled from Cincinnati to Miami, Miami to San Juan, and back to Miami. Following the overrun, the plane struck navigation equipment, a Toyota Corolla Cross LE, and a Tesla robotaxi staging area before coming to a stop. The two flight crew members, pilot Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, and Joseph Carol, 55, sustained minor injuries and were discharged after receiving medical care.
Emergency Response and Investigation
More than 60 units from the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue department responded to the scene, working to extinguish intense flames and heavy smoke while treating survivors (France 24). Erica Benitez, chief of staff for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, reported that three of the injured survivors were listed in critical condition (France 24). The accident prompted a temporary total shutdown of airport ground operations, later modified to a ground delay.
Federal agencies, including the FAA and the NTSB, deployed investigators to examine the cause of the crash. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that investigators will review whether the absence of an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS)—crushable concrete overrun beds installed at roughly 70 US airports—contributed to the severity of the accident. While the FAA confirmed that Miami’s runway met standard length and width safety requirements without an EMAS bed, the tragedy has reignited scrutiny over runway safety margins.
