Amazon suspends flights with 21 Air after Miami cargo crash kills five
Amazon has halted operations with cargo carrier 21 Air following a September 6 runway overrun in Miami that resulted in five fatalities and five injuries.
Amazon announced it is pausing its partnership with cargo operator 21 Air after a Boeing 767-300 freighter overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sept. 6. The flight, operating as Amazon Air Flight 7598, arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and struck several vehicles beyond the runway, killing five people and injuring five others.
"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," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Reuters.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and said early flight-recorder data indicated the pilots expressed concerns about the aircraft’s speed during landing. Recorded data also showed no activation of speed brakes or thrust reversers before the aircraft traveled about 1,300 feet beyond the runway.
21 Air said it remains focused on assisting families of the victims and cooperating with investigators, and reiterated confidence in its safety policies, procedures and training. CEO Keith Winters expressed condolences to the families and confirmed full cooperation with the NTSB, FAA and local authorities.
The crash marks the first fatal accident involving Amazon’s air-cargo network since a 2019 incident in Texas. Lawsuits alleging negligence have been filed in Florida against 21 Air, Amazon and other parties, while the NTSB continues its investigation.