A UPS cargo aircraft and a Copa Airlines passenger jet collided at Miami International Airport in Florida late Saturday, triggering an emergency response, although no injuries were reported, according to local media and airport authorities.
The incident involved a UPS Boeing 767 cargo plane and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 passenger aircraft, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed.
According to Greg Chin, communications director at Miami International Airport, the collision occurred at approximately 9:15pm local time on Saturday (0215 GMT Sunday), when an arriving aircraft and a departing plane came into contact at the intersection of two taxiways.
“There are no reported injuries,” Chin said in a statement to CBS News Miami.
Airport officials said the incident did not disrupt overall airport operations, with aircraft redirected to alternative taxiways while authorities responded to the collision.
The UPS aircraft, operating as Flight 358, had been scheduled to depart Miami for Bogota, Colombia, while Copa Airlines Flight 427 was arriving from Panama City, Panama, where the airline is headquartered.
The circumstances surrounding the collision, including the extent of any damage to the aircraft, were not immediately detailed in the reports.
The incident occurred amid continuing disruptions to air travel across the United States following an unusual nationwide ground stop imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday.
Miami International Airport was among the facilities experiencing flight delays and cancellations as airlines worked to restore their schedules following the nationwide disruption.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that returning to normal operations would take time, as carriers faced the logistical challenge of repositioning aircraft and flight crews across the country.
The disruption had affected flight schedules and left airlines working to restore normal service after the restrictions were lifted.
However, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expressed optimism on Saturday that the national aviation schedule would return to normal by the end of Sunday.
Despite the collision at Miami International Airport, local authorities maintained that the incident had not significantly affected airport operations, with flights continuing to use alternative taxiways.