Amazon has announced that it is temporarily suspending its work with 21 Air, the cargo airline that operated a Boeing 767 involved in a deadly crash at Miami International Airport earlier this month.
The e-commerce company said it made the decision after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident and supporting the ongoing investigation.
“Following the tragic incident last weekend, we have taken time to support the investigation and examine the circumstances involved. We have decided to pause our operations with 21 Air,” an Amazon spokesperson said on Sunday.
The crash occurred on 6 September when the 21 Air-operated Boeing 767-300 overshot a runway at Miami International Airport and struck several vehicles. Five people were killed and another five were injured.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the accident.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said safety remains the company’s highest priority, both within its own operations and when working with outside partners.
“We will continue to support the investigation and those who have been affected,” Nantel said.
21 Air, an all-cargo airline, operates flights for major companies including Amazon and DHL. The company previously expressed its condolences to the victims’ families and said it was cooperating with authorities investigating the crash.
The aircraft had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before the accident in Miami. After leaving the runway, the plane collided with nearby vehicles and eventually came to a stop.
Miami officials last week identified the five people who died in the crash as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
21 Air chief executive Keith Winters offered condolences to the victims’ relatives and said the company’s immediate focus was on helping those affected, assisting investigators and providing accurate information.
NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy previously described the crash site as a scene of “utter devastation.”
