A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., and exploded in midair, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said, Reuters.
At least seven people were killed and several injured were in critical condition, he said. Authorities do not rule out that the number of victims may increase.
“At the moment we have preliminary figures – at least 7 dead and 11 injured, but we expect these figures to increase”, – the governor said.
As reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), UPS flight 2976 took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali Airport at 5:15 p.m. local time and was heading to Honolulu. Shortly after takeoff, flames broke out on one of the wings, after which the plane crashed and exploded. The crash caused a fire in several buildings in an industrial area near the runway. Thick black smoke rose into the sky. Local authorities declared a “stay home” within a five-mile radius of the airport.
“There are multiple injuries, the fire is ongoing, roads are closed. Please avoid the crash area,” — Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said.
According to the FAA, the MD-11, which had been owned by UPS since 2006, had been in service for 34 years. Before the tragedy, it flew to Baltimore and returned to Louisville. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft climbed only 175 feet and reached a speed of 184 knots, after which it sharply lost altitude. UPS confirmed that there were three crew members on board, all of whom are presumed dead.
The investigation into the incident was led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which sent a team of experts to the crash site. Such investigations typically take 12 to 24 months. The Louisville airport is temporarily closed. This could cause delays in UPS deliveries and affect the operations of its major customers, Amazon, Walmart and the United States Postal Service (USPS).
