Vivian Alemán, sister of Rolando Alemán León, who was among the five Hispanic workers killed in the Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport, shared her heart-wrenching account from Cruces, Cienfuegos. In an emotional conversation with journalist Alexis Boentes, she recounted the last moments of her brother before the tragic event.
Rolando, a 55-year-old Cuban, had started his job with the company in January of 2026. On that fateful day, he was nearing the end of his shift, according to his sister Vivian.
"He was working that day. He was just 10 minutes from finishing. They were about to leave when it happened," Vivian Alemán recounted, her voice breaking with emotion.
A Tragedy Beyond Words
Vivian described the horrifying images of the crash as unforgettable: "I've seen the images; it's truly painful."
Regarding the van her brother was traveling in, she was unequivocal: "The vehicle was completely destroyed."
Adding another layer of sorrow to the family’s grief, Vivian revealed a personal detail. Rolando always wore a medal of his late mother, whom he cherished, and the family is still uncertain if the medal was recovered from the wreckage.
"He had a medal on his chest that belonged to his mom, whom he adored, but we haven't been able to find out if it was recovered from the bodies," she admitted.
A Heartbreaking Loss
Vivian spoke of the deep bond she shared with her brother and the emotional burden Rolando carried even before emigrating: "He loved his family dearly. The death of our mom was something he never got over."
On September 6, a Boeing 767-300 cargo plane operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon Air veered off the runway while landing in Miami from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The aircraft crossed a perimeter road at the airport and collided with a white Ford Econoline van carrying seven employees of Professional Ocean Service Corp., a contractor providing cleaning and maintenance services for aircraft.
Five workers lost their lives, while two others were injured. The two pilots, Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, and Joseph Carol, 55, survived and were discharged from the hospital.
Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz officially identified the victims as Rolando Alemán León (55), Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo (53), Julio C. Pineda (75), Carlos Acosta Fajardo (53), and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo (47). All were Cuban and worked for the same contracting company, as reported by 14yMedio.
As of September 8, three individuals remained hospitalized: Eugenio Corredor, 79, and Ridoel Averhoff Díaz, 32, in critical condition, and Roosevelt Sebastian Perdomo Torres, 36, in stable condition.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a formal investigation to uncover why the plane failed to stop on the runway, having already retrieved the flight recorders.
Two of the injured remain in critical condition, according to county authorities.
The Broader Impact on Cuban Families
This tragic incident underscores the harsh reality for many Cuban emigrants who work service jobs in the Miami area to support their families back in Cuba, tragically, even at the very airport where their lives were lost.
Critical Questions About the Miami Plane Crash
Who were the victims of the Miami plane crash?
The victims were Rolando Alemán León, Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo, Julio C. Pineda, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, all Cuban nationals working for a cleaning and maintenance contractor.
What caused the plane crash at Miami International Airport?
The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine why the plane could not stop on the runway. The flight recorders have been recovered for analysis.