E-commerce giant Amazon has suspended operations with cargo carrier 21 Air following a fatal plane crash in Miami earlier this month.
A Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft operated by 21 Air overshot a runway at Miami International Airport after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 6 September. The aircraft struck several nearby vehicles before skidding to a stop, killing five people and injuring five others, reports BBC.
An Amazon spokesperson said on Sunday that the company had decided to pause its operations with the carrier after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“After the tragic incident last weekend, we’ve spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we’ve decided to pause our operations with 21 Air,” the spokesperson said.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stressed the company’s focus on safety.
“Safety has always been our top priority, whether in our own operations or when we’re working with partners,” she said. “We’ll continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected.”
21 Air is an all-cargo airline that operates flights for major companies, including Amazon and DHL. The company previously said it was “devastated by the accident” and was fully co-operating with investigating authorities. The BBC has contacted 21 Air for further comment.
In an earlier statement, 21 Air chief executive Keith Winters expressed condolences to those affected.
“Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” he said. “Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the appropriate authorities, and ensuring that accurate and verified information is communicated as it becomes available.”
Last week, Miami authorities identified the five people who died as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the crash. NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy described the crash site as a scene of “utter devastation”. Investigators have recovered the aircraft’s flight recorders to analyse the circumstances that led to the accident.
Preliminary details released by the NTSB in the early stages of the investigation indicate that a pilot on board noted the cargo aircraft was travelling at excessive speed before it overshot the runway.
One pilot warned the other several times about the excessive speed but noted “there was not a consistent verbal response”, even as an altitude alarm sounded. Investigators also said other electronic warnings designed to alert pilots to danger during landing were activated.
