At least 9 dead after UPS aircraft crashes departing Louisville airport: Officials

At least nine people are dead after a UPS aircraft crashed on Tuesday upon departing the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, authorities said, sending a massive plume of smoke into the air following the fiery crash.

On Wednesday, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said nine “known fatalities” were found at the scene of the crash, but that number “may rise throughout the day.”

“There are no words that I can provide to any family members that are searching for information about someone that they may believe might have been near the scene of the crash that they haven’t heard from yet,” Greenberg told ABC News Live on Wednesday.

A “very large field of debris” still remains at the site of the crash as officials try to “find any other victims as soon as we possibly can,” Greenberg said.

On Tuesday night, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at least 11 people were injured, some with “very significant” injuries, before adding that he believes the number of casualties will increase following the “catastrophic crash.”

Video captured the moment the plane — loaded up with thousands of gallons of fuel for a long-distance flight to Hawaii — crashed, resulting in a large fireball.

Two businesses on the ground were impacted by the crash, Beshear said.

Three crew members were on board the plane, according to UPS, which said it has not confirmed any injuries among the crew.

“We do not, at the moment, have the status of the crew,” Beshear said during a press briefing Tuesday. “Watching that video, I think we’re all very, very worried about them.”

One business, Kentucky Petroleum Recycling, appears to have been “hit pretty directly,” while another business, Grade A Auto Parts, was also impacted, Beshear said. Two employees from Grade A Auto Parts were unaccounted for, he said.

“It may be some time before we can account for everyone or know that no one else was on the grounds,” Beshear said.

UofL Health said it received 10 patients in the airport incident, two of whom were in critical condition in a burn center.

A shelter-in-place was initially issued within 5 miles of the airport and subsequently expanded to all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River, police said. The shelter-in-place has since been reduced to a 1-mile radius of the airport, officials said Tuesday night.

Jefferson County Public Schools said all schools will be closed on Wednesday due to the shelter-in-place order.

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UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter plane was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, the agency said.

The plane crashed approximately 3 miles south of the airfield, according to officer Jonathan Biven with the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.

It appears there was an engine issue during takeoff, sources told ABC News.

The plane was carrying approximately 220,000 pounds of jet fuel, which is about 38,000 gallons, officials said.

The airport is home to UPS Worldport, the company’s massive package handling facility, which will remain closed on Wednesday.

UPS said it is “terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville.”

“Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved,” the company said in a statement. “UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers.”

Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997, said,” Our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected.”

“We stand ready to support our customer and have offered technical assistance to the NTSB,” it said.

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The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

The airport reopened at about 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Authorities said they expect the scene to be active for the next several days.

There wasn’t any hazardous cargo on board the plane, according to Beshear.

ABC News’ Luke Barr, Sam Sweeney and Ayesha Ali contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.