4 passengers hospitalized after being evacuated from plane at Opa-locka airport, Miami-Dade officials say

An aircraft air conditioning malfunction at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport caused four people to possibly overheat, prompting a multi-agency emergency response Thursday afternoon.

MDFR officials said they received a medical call regarding a heat-related illness. Four people were then transported to nearby hospitals, authorities said.

Aerial images showed multiple trucks on the tarmac loading patients from a Global X-branded plane onto stretchers.

A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department said the air conditioning malfunction occurred on a Global X charter flight, a service used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, and one ICE vehicle responded.

Thursday's flights were set for Alexandria, Louisiana. The airport is home to a federal staging facility that is known for removing people from the U.S. to their country of origin. 

The remaining passengers were being transferred to another aircraft, the Miami-Dade Aviation Department said.

In a statement, ICE officials said they are looking into the situation.

Employees were also observed taking items in black trash bags off the plane. It is unclear what is inside the bags, though they could be the personal belongings of the people on board.

The plane locating software, FlightAware, shows the plane was delayed more than 5 hours and left Miami at 6:40 Thursday night.