TRAGIC SCENE

7 Dead, 11 Injured After UPS Plane Crashes During Takeoff

The flight was departing UPS’ global air hub in Louisville, Kentucky.

At least seven people have died and 11 others are injured following a UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky. The UPS Flight 2976, which was destined for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, had three people on board when it crashed and exploded at 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed the deaths in a press briefing on Tuesday evening. “We believe we have at least three fatalities. I believe that number is going to get larger,” he said. “We’re asking all Kentuckians to pray for those that have been impacted.” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg told WLKY-TV there could be about 280,000 gallons of fuel on the plane, an “extreme reason for concern in so many different ways.” Video obtained by Louisville news station WDRB shows a fire around the left wing as the plane moves down the runway before exploding. The plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, is designed for transporting freight, CNN reported. According to FAA records, the freighter involved in the crash was 34 years old. The Louisville airport is UPS’ global air hub, and processes more than 2 million packages daily, the company says. The Louisville Metro Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order for 5 miles in all directions. “It is still a very dangerous situation with different flammables or potentially explosive materials,” Beshear said. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation, and the FAA will also investigate, the FAA said.