Law Enforcement
'It’s a miracle we're alive': Passengers from jet that had landing fire at Miami International Airport speak out
Videos shared on social media show some passengers crying and others hugging their loved ones
June 22, 2022 9:40am
Updated: June 22, 2022 10:59am
People who experienced moments of panic on Tuesday after the plane they were traveling on caught fire at Miami International Airport shared their experience.
Red Air flight 203 from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will be remembered by the 126 passengers and the entire crew on board.
"It’s a miracle we are alive,” was the phrase most victims repeated after speaking with Telemundo 51.
Paolo Delgado, one of the Venezuelans on flight 203, said it took him 30 minutes to leave the plane.
"We started to see fire, people went crazy, and we all went out the window," said passenger Inés Vachille.
"Everyone was trying to figure out their life," added Graciela Silva.
Videos shared on social media show some passengers crying, hugging their loved ones, and being grateful for coming out of the incident alive.
"After the plane straightened up, there was a very loud sound. When I stood up, everyone started to say 'open, open, open' and I opened the door," said Rafael Medina, who was coming to Miami to visit his parents from Venezuela after a stopover in the Dominican Republic.
"There was screaming, desperation, and crying," continued Medina, who opened the emergency hatch to allow passengers to begin exiting the aircraft.
Most of the victims left everything behind. However, one of the passengers who recorded the moment of the evacuation was criticized by several users on social media after using an emergency slide with his carry-on bag.
According to authorities, the front landing gear blew out when Red Air Flight 203 touched down.
The plane had taken off from Santo Domingo at 3:30 in the afternoon and landed in Miami two hours later.
During the accident, the back of the plane caught fire, and a large cloud of smoke filled the area surrounding the plane. Authorities immediately rushed to extinguish the fire, which they did within minutes.
The panic-stricken passengers fled as best they could through the emergency doors. Fortunately, only three people were hospitalized with minor injuries.
