Amazon suspends use of 21 Air, cargo carrier whose plane careened off Miami runway

Amazon has temporarily halted operations with cargo firm 21 Air following a fatal crash involving a cargo plane in Miami. Speaking on Sunday, an Amazon spokesperson stated that the company paused its work with 21 Air after supporting the ongoing investigation and reviewing the surrounding circumstances of the incident. On September 6th, a Boeing jet operated by 21 Air overshot the runway at Miami International Airport, colliding with several vehicles and resulting in the deaths of five people.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the tragic incident.

21 Air is an all-cargo carrier that operates flights for major firms such as Amazon and DHL. The Boeing 767-300 cargo plane crashed after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Five individuals were killed in the accident, with additional injuries sustained by five other individuals. Miami authorities have identified the deceased as Rolando Aleman Leon, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, Julio C Pineda, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo.

21 Air's CEO, Keith Winters, expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and emphasized the company's commitment to supporting those affected, assisting authorities, and ensuring accurate information is communicated as it becomes available.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy described the crash site as a scene of "utter devastation." Investigations have revealed that a pilot onboard the cargo plane had noted that the aircraft was traveling too fast before it overshot the runway. The pilot repeatedly warned his co-pilot about the excessive speed, but there was no consistent verbal response, despite an altitude alarm sounding. The NTSB also reported that there were other electronic warnings designed to alert the pilots to danger during landing.