Amazon has temporarily suspended its cargo operations with 21 Air following the fatal crash of a Boeing 767-300 at Miami International Airport on 6 September.
According to the BBC, the decision comes as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the accident, which claimed five lives.
The 21 Air-operated Boeing 767-300 overshot the runway after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aircraft subsequently struck several vehicles, resulting in the deaths of five people.
Amazon said it had taken time to support the investigation and review the circumstances surrounding the accident before deciding to pause its operations with 21 Air.
“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,” an Amazon spokesperson said.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stressed that safety remains the company’s highest priority, both when conducting its own operations and when working with external partners.
The company also said it will continue supporting the investigation and those affected by the accident.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the crash as authorities work to establish what caused the aircraft to overshoot the runway and collide with several vehicles.
21 Air, an all-cargo carrier operating services for companies including Amazon and DHL, previously said it was “devastated by the accident” and confirmed that it was cooperating with the authorities.
