From Cuba to the jetway, 5 men eked out a living cleaning cabins in a perilous, fast-paced job. A runway crash killed them

Courtesy Morgan & Morgan, Mark Lopez-Trigo, The Gutierrez Firm, Rafael López González

An exhausted Julio Pineda would arrive some nights at the Miami-Dade County apartment complex where he lived with his reflective vest and gray work shirt and slacks covered in grease and grime, a neighbor recalled.

Still, the 75-year-old member of an airplane cleaning crew, who was known as “El Mago,” the Magician, often took a moment to perform magic tricks and hand out candy to children before going home to rest, neighbor and friend José Sigas told CNN.

Pineda was one of five men killed last Sunday when a more than 100-ton plane operated for Amazon by contractor 21 Air hurtled past the end of a runway at Miami International Airport and slammed into a van full of cleaning workers, an airport fence, concrete vehicle barriers and an SUV before finally stopping and catching fire.

The van was left a tangled heap of metal. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Five others were injured , including the plane’s two pilots, two members of the cleaning crew and a man in an SUV, officials said.

The other victims who died were identified as Rolando Alemán León, 55; Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo, 53; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53 and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. They all came from Cuba in search of better lives, attorneys for their families said.

The men, who performed the grueling, fast-paced and often perilous work of an airplane cleaning crew, were wrapping up an 8-hour shift on Labor Day weekend. Their toil – crucial to keeping air traffic moving – is little noticed and includes wiping down seats, collecting and removing hazardous waste and always keeping an eye out for moving planes and ground vehicles. They also wash airplane exteriors using lifts.

“They worked under the sun, in the extreme heat, all day,” said Sigas, who had known Pineda for 15 years. “He never complained. He was always smiling and making jokes.”

The death of Pineda and his four coworkers – who considered themselves family – has led to widespread grief and mourning in South Florida, where friends and neighbors remember them as hardworking and generous providers.

“Most people don’t appreciate how hard and dangerous those cleaning jobs are,” Sigas said.

Rafael López González

The tragedy has also shone a light on the unseen and demanding labor performed everyday by airport support and contract crews.

“It’s a god-awful job,” Soma Priddle, an aviation attorney and former commercial airline captain, said of the cleaning crews. “It’s been that way forever.”

The five victims knew the work was exhausting and dangerous but took pride in doing it, friends and neighbors said.

They worked for a contractor, Professional Ocean Service Corp., which said it was “heartbroken by this unimaginable tragedy,” and that its employees were like family.

“Our hearts and prayers are with every employee and every family whose lives have been forever changed,” the company said in statement. “We grieve with those who lost a loved one and pray for the healing and recovery of those who were injured.”

Rebecca Blackwell/AP

New black box data shows alarms sounded as pilot warned of plane’s excessive speed before it overran Miami runway, killing 5

During an otherwise slow week for him, Pineda picked up extra hours the day he died, according to Sigas and another neighbor.

Mark Lopez-Trigo, an attorney with a firm that has been hired by Pineda’s two sons, said he was a part-time employee who returned to work after retiring from another job.

Coworkers at Professional Ocean Service Corp. were devastated by the loss of the five men, according to Lopez-Trigo. Pineda was beloved by many of his coworkers.

“Even though he wasn’t there full-time, he was always like a light whenever he would come in – enjoyable to work with, always brought good energy and was always willing to go the extra mile for work,” Lopez-Trigo told CNN.

Courtesy Mark Lopez-Trigo

Pineda, who was born in Cuba, had agreed to visit Sigas after work Sunday to help move some furniture. That afternoon, Sigas said, he called his friend several times to see if they would get together. He got no answer.

“I called him until late at night,” Sigas said. “And I told my wife, ‘I don’t like this.’”

The next day, Sigas turned on the television news and learned his friend was gone. As the news spread, other neighbors recalled Pineda sharing food and snacks with them. One friend said she’ll miss the echo of his thunderous laugh in the building’s corridors.

On the door of Pineda’s apartment, friends this week left a note, handwritten in Spanish, with a heart over his nickname: “Mago, we will miss you. Your neighbors, R.I.P.”

“I used to say he would be around forever,” said Ana Calatayu, who works at a supermarket below where Pineda lived.

Emilio Herrera, another neighbor, recalled seeing Pineda on his way to work Sunday morning.

“I didn’t realize how much I cared for him,” said Herrera, who came close to tears as he spoke of his friend. “He was the kind of person who healed others. I never saw him upset. I never saw him angry. He was always so helpful.”

Pineda’s family will hold a wake for him in Miami on Sunday. “Your life was an example of love, humility and generosity,” the invitation reads. “You were a great father, a marvelous grandfather and a good person.”

Alemán León, another cleaning crew member who died, was fondly remembered by Blanca Llauro Esquivel, who rented out a small room in northern Miami-Dade County to him until about two months ago. He told her he was buying a home with his girlfriend.

Alemán León, nicknamed “Roli,” has a son in the Miami area, she said. Other relatives live in Cuba. He had previously worked as a hotel janitor, she said. Sometimes, after work, he would stop by with food for her.

“He was a good person. That’s how I will always remember him,” said Llauro Esquivel, adding she has been depressed since learning of Alemán León’s death.

Reyes Quevedo is survived by a daughter who lives in Cuba, according to Jorge Gutierrez Jr., an attorney retained by Quevedo’s brother and Acosta Farjardo’s partner.

The victims leave behind “a legacy of love and support and caring that cannot be replaced,” Gutierrez said.

Courtesy of Morgan & Morgan

Rodríguez Naranjo’s widow, Yaraisi Santiso Morejon, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the plane’s pilots, Amazon, Inc. and 21 Air LLC, said her attorneys from Morgan & Morgan. CNN has reached out to 21 Air for comment about the lawsuit.

An Amazon spokesperson said the company is committed to supporting families and the broader community impacted by the crash.

“Our deepest sympathies remain with the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating tragedy,” Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon, said in a statement to CNN. “The NTSB is on the ground at Miami International Airport conducting their investigation.”

“We’ll fully cooperate with them and support any other investigating authorities and we’ll also continue to coordinate with 21 Air, which operated the flight,” the statement continued. “Amazon leaders are also meeting with local officials, first responders, and others in the community to offer our support.”

Rodríguez Naranjo arrived from Cuba in 2011. He was driving the Ford van on an airport road after the crew’s last job, according to attorneys.

He “died instantly at the scene as a result of the impact,” attorney Jorge Garcia told reporters. Santiso Morejon learned about her husband’s death after wondering why he didn’t return home from work, seeing news about the crash and speaking to investigators. She texted him, but the messages went unread.

Acosta Fajardo Family/The Gutierrez Firm

Another cleaning crew member, Acosta Fajardo, is survived by his husband and his parents in Cuba, according to Gutierrez.

Nelson Fernandez described his husband as a “special being, a special soul that comes once in a lifetime.” His partner was also “a good friend, a good son,” as well as a “good companion at work” and “a good spouse” who supported family back in Cuba, he said.

Widower of Amazon crash victim speaks out after deadly crash: ‘I’m mourning him’

Fernandez told CNN’s Jake Tapper Friday evening that Acosta Fajardo was also “a very happy person” who would play music and dance in their yard before mowing the lawn. Acosta Fajardo would have celebrated his 54th birthday on Friday.

“Instead of celebrating his birthday, I’m mourning him,” Fernandez lamented.

CNN’s Aaron Cooper, Pete Muntean, Andy Rose, Maria Aguilar Prieto, Julianna Bragg, Chris Boyette, Amanda Musa, Alexandra Skores, Rebekah Riess and Jose Alvarez contributed to this report.

由摩根和摩根、Mark Lopez-Trigo、The Gutierrez Firm、Rafael López González 提供

一位邻居回忆说，有时晚上，疲惫不堪的胡里奥·皮内达会穿着反光背心、灰色工作衬衫和长裤回到他居住的迈阿密-戴德县公寓楼，身上沾满了油污。

邻居兼好友何塞·西加斯告诉 CNN，这位 75 岁的飞机清洁工，人称“魔术师”，经常在回家休息前表演魔术，给孩子们分发糖果。

上周日，一架由承包商 21 Air 为亚马逊运营的 100 多吨重的飞机在迈阿密国际机场冲出跑道尽头，撞上一辆满载清洁工人的货车、机场围栏、混凝土车辆护栏和一辆 SUV，最终停下并起火，造成五人死亡，皮内达是其中之一。

货车损毁严重，只剩下一堆扭曲的金属残骸。事故原因正在调查中。官员称，另有五人受伤，包括飞机上的两名飞行员、两名清洁人员和一名SUV司机。

据迈阿密-戴德县警长办公室消息，其他遇难者身份已确认，分别为55岁的罗兰多·阿莱曼·莱昂、53岁的约埃尔·罗德里格斯·纳兰霍、53岁的卡洛斯·阿科斯塔·法哈多和47岁的哈维尔基斯·雷耶斯·奎韦多。他们的家属律师表示，他们都来自古巴，为了寻求更好的生活而来到美国。

这些从事飞机清洁工作的男子，在劳动节周末结束了他们8小时的轮班。他们的工作强度大、节奏快，而且常常充满危险。他们的辛勤付出——对保障空中交通畅通至关重要——却鲜为人知，包括擦拭座椅、收集和清除有害垃圾，以及时刻注意移动的飞机和地面车辆。他们还会使用升降机清洗飞机外部。

“他们整天在烈日下工作，酷热难耐，”认识皮内达15年的西加斯说。“他从不抱怨。他总是面带微笑，还爱开玩笑。”

皮内达和他的四位同事（他们彼此视如家人）的去世，在南佛罗里达州引发了广泛的悲痛和哀悼，朋友和邻居们都记得他们是勤劳慷慨的供养者。

“大多数人并不了解这些清洁工作有多么辛苦和危险，”西加斯说。

拉斐尔·洛佩斯·冈萨雷斯

这场悲剧也让人们关注到机场后勤保障人员和合同工每天默默付出的艰辛劳动。

“这是一份糟糕透顶的工作，”航空律师、前商业航空公司机长索玛·普里德尔谈到清洁人员时说。“一直以来都是这样。”

朋友和邻居说，这五名受害者知道这项工作既辛苦又危险，但他们都以此为荣。

他们受雇于一家名为 Professional Ocean Service Corp. 的承包商，该公司表示“对这场难以想象的悲剧感到心碎”，并称其员工就像家人一样。

公司在一份声明中表示：“我们向每一位员工和每一个生活因此而永远改变的家庭致以最深切的慰问和祈祷。我们与失去亲人的家庭一同悲痛，并祈祷受伤者早日康复。”

丽贝卡·布莱克威尔/美联社

最新黑匣子数据显示，飞机冲出迈阿密跑道前，飞行员曾发出警报警告飞机速度过快，导致5人死亡。

据西加斯和另一位邻居称，皮内达在原本工作比较清闲的一周里，在他去世的那天还加班加点。

皮内达的两个儿子聘请的律师事务所的律师马克·洛佩兹-特里戈表示，他是一名兼职员工，从另一份工作退休后又回到了这家律师事务所工作。

据洛佩兹-特里戈称，专业海洋服务公司的同事们对这五名员工的离世感到悲痛欲绝。皮内达深受许多同事的爱戴。

“虽然他不是全职员工，但他每次来都像一束光——和他一起工作很愉快，总是带来积极的能量，并且总是愿意为工作付出额外的努力，”洛佩兹-特里戈告诉 CNN。

承蒙 Mark Lopez-Trigo 惠允

出生于古巴的皮内达答应周日下班后去西加斯家帮忙搬些家具。西加斯说，那天下午他给朋友打了好几次电话，问他们能不能见面，但都没人接。

“我一直打电话给他到深夜，”西加斯说。“我跟妻子说，‘我不喜欢这样。’”

第二天，西加斯打开电视新闻，得知他的朋友去世了。消息传开后，其他邻居也回忆起皮内达曾与他们分享食物和零食。一位朋友说，她会想念皮内达那响亮的笑声在楼道里回荡的身影。

本周，朋友们在皮内达的公寓门上留下了一张用西班牙语手写的纸条，他的昵称上方画了一颗心：“马戈，我们会想念你的。你的邻居，安息吧。”

“我以前常说他会永远陪伴着我们，”在皮内达居住地楼下超市工作的安娜·卡拉塔尤说道。

另一位邻居埃米利奥·埃雷拉回忆说，星期天早上他去上班的路上看到了皮内达。

“我以前没意识到我有多在乎他，”埃雷拉说着，谈起朋友时几乎要落泪。“他是个能治愈别人的人。我从没见过他沮丧，也从没见过他生气。他总是那么乐于助人。”

皮内达的家人将于周日在迈阿密为他举行守灵仪式。“您的一生是爱、谦逊和慷慨的典范，”邀请函上写道。“您是一位伟大的父亲、一位慈祥的祖父，也是一位善良的人。”

另一位不幸去世的清洁工阿莱曼·莱昂，被布兰卡·利亚罗·埃斯基韦尔深切缅怀。大约两个月前，布兰卡还把迈阿密-戴德县北部的一间小房间租给了他。阿莱曼告诉她，他正和女友一起买房。

她说，阿莱曼·莱昂，昵称“罗利”，在迈阿密地区有个儿子。其他亲戚住在古巴。她还说，他以前在一家酒店当清洁工。有时，他下班后会给她带些吃的过来。

“他是个好人。我会永远这样记住他，”劳罗·埃斯基韦尔说道，并补充说，自从得知阿莱曼·莱昂去世的消息后，她一直很沮丧。

据奎维多的兄弟和阿科斯塔·法哈多的合伙人聘请的律师小豪尔赫·古铁雷斯称，雷耶斯·奎维多身后留有一女，居住在古巴。

古铁雷斯说，遇难者留下了“无法替代的爱、支持和关怀的遗产”。

承蒙摩根律师事务所惠允

据摩根律师事务所 (Morgan & Morgan) 称，罗德里格斯·纳兰霍的遗孀亚拉伊西·桑蒂索·莫雷洪已对飞机飞行员、亚马逊公司和 21 Air LLC 提起过失致死诉讼。CNN 已联系 21 Air 就此诉讼寻求置评。

亚马逊发言人表示，公司致力于为受此次事故影响的家庭和更广泛的社区提供支持。

亚马逊发言人凯莉·南特尔在给CNN的一份声明中表示：“我们向遇难者家属、亲友以及所有受这场悲剧影响的人们致以最深切的慰问。美国国家运输安全委员会（NTSB）已抵达迈阿密国际机场展开调查。”

声明继续说道：“我们将全力配合调查，支持其他任何调查机构的工作，并将继续与运营该航班的21 Air航空公司协调。亚马逊领导层也正在与当地官员、应急人员和社区其他人士会面，以提供支持。”

罗德里格斯·纳兰霍于 2011 年从古巴抵达。据律师称，在剧组完成最后一次任务后，他驾驶着福特面包车行驶在机场道路上。

律师豪尔赫·加西亚告诉记者，他“因撞击当场死亡”。桑蒂索·莫雷洪在得知丈夫下班后迟迟未归，看到车祸新闻并与调查人员交谈后，才得知丈夫的死讯。她曾给他发短信，但他没有阅读。

阿科斯塔·法哈多家族/古铁雷斯律师事务所

据古铁雷斯称，另一名清洁工阿科斯塔·法哈多身后留下了在古巴的丈夫和父母。

纳尔逊·费尔南德斯形容他的丈夫是“一个特别的人，一个一生难遇的灵魂”。他还说，他的伴侣也是“一位好朋友，一位好儿子”，以及“一位工作上的好伙伴”和“一位好配偶”，他一直支持着远在古巴的家人。

亚马逊空难遇难者遗孀发声：“我正在哀悼他”

费尔南德斯周五晚间告诉CNN的杰克·塔珀，阿科斯塔·法哈多也是个“非常快乐的人”，他会在割草前在院子里放音乐跳舞。阿科斯塔·法哈多本应在周五庆祝他的54岁生日。

“我本该庆祝他的生日，却在哀悼他，”费尔南德斯悲痛地说。

CNN 的 Aaron Cooper、Pete Muntean、Andy Rose、Maria Aguilar Prieto、Julianna Bragg、Chris Boyette、Amanda Musa、Alexandra Skores、Rebekah Riess 和 Jose Alvarez 对本报道亦有贡献。