Amazon pauses shipments with 21 Air after Miami cargo crash kills five

Amazon said on Sunday it is suspending its use of cargo carrier 21 Air following a fatal crash of an Amazon-branded Boeing 767-300 at Miami International Airport on Sept. 6. The airline said it will redirect shipments to other partners, including Sun Country Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Transport International, ABX Air, ASL Airlines and Cargojet.

The crash occurred as Flight 7598, arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overran Runway 30 and struck two ground vehicles, killing five workers on the tarmac and injuring five others. Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz identified the victims by name.

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the decision to pause operations came after the company reviewed the circumstances surrounding the accident and pledged continued support for the NTSB investigation.

"After the 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 operator of Flight 7598," Nantel said.

21 Air, based in North Carolina, issued a statement saying it remains focused on assisting those affected and cooperating with investigators. CEO Keith Winters expressed condolences to the victims’ families and emphasized the company's priority to support authorities and provide accurate information.

Preliminary data from the cockpit voice recorder indicated that pilots discussed excessive speed during the landing, and a go-around maneuver was initiated about 15 seconds after touchdown. NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin noted that the aircraft’s thrust increased during landing and that neither speed brakes nor thrust reversers were deployed, though the reason for this remains unclear. The investigation is ongoing.

Amazon added it will continue to work with the investigation and support anyone impacted by the crash.