Witness describes shaken pilot moments after fatal cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport

A cargo plane pilot who escaped a fiery crash near Miami International Airport was visibly shaken and urgently asked a nearby warehouse worker to use his phone to call his wife, a witness said.Abraham Altamar was working Sunday near the airport when he heard a loud noise and ran outside with co-workers to investigate. He said they found thick, black smoke rising behind their floral warehouse near Northwest 36th Street.“(As) soon as we saw the plane, we start running to see what was happening,” Altamar said.Altamar said he soon encountered 37-year-old Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, one of the pilots who had escaped the burning Prime Air cargo jet.“He was shaking, he seemed stressed,” Altamar said.Altamar said he offered to call 911, but Molina instead asked to use his phone to call his wife.“I just asked him if he wanted me to call 911, but he’s like, ‘No, I need your phone to call my wife,”’ Altamar said.Altamar said he overheard Molina expressing concern about his career.“He was like, ‘Oh my career, my career is over,’” Altamar said.Altamar said Molina had cuts to his forehead and arm. He was taken to a hospital Sunday, treated and released.The other pilot was identified as 55-year-old Joseph Carroll. He also suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from a hospital.Altamar said the crash was difficult to comprehend.The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. The pilots were scheduled to speak with investigators about the accident and the actions they took before the aircraft overran the runway and crashed.

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