A UPS cargo aircraft and a Copa Airlines passenger plane collided while taxiing at Miami International Airport in the US, leaving two people with minor injuries, according to media reports.
The incident occurred at around 9.15 pm local time on Saturday when a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 and a UPS Boeing 767 made contact at the intersection of two taxiways. Copa Airlines Flight 427 had arrived from Panama City, Panama, while UPS Flight 358 was preparing to depart for Bogota, Colombia.
According to reports, the wingtip of the Copa Airlines aircraft struck the nose of the UPS cargo plane. The collision caused significant damage to both aircraft, with the UPS plane sustaining heavy damage to its nose section, while the Copa jet reportedly lost its left wingtip.
Air traffic control audio captured the moments surrounding the collision, with the Copa Airlines pilot informing controllers that his aircraft had been struck. The UPS crew subsequently acknowledged that their aircraft had taxied too far forward and that the Copa jet had clipped its wing.
Two people sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel. They did not require hospitalisation, officials said. All 166 passengers and six crew members aboard the Copa Airlines flight safely disembarked following the incident. Fire and rescue teams were deployed at the airport following the collision.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident. Initial reports indicated that the UPS aircraft had moved beyond the position instructed by air traffic control and failed to give way to the arriving passenger aircraft.
The incident comes amid disruptions to air travel across the United States following a nationwide ground stop ordered by the FAA on Friday, which resulted in flight delays and cancellations at several airports.
Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the collision.
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