UPS plane crash near Louisville airport leaves at least 9 dead, others injured

At least nine people died and several others were injured after a UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded into flames shortly after takeoff on Tuesday evening in Louisville, Ky., officials said.

In response on Wednesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency and mobilized the state’s National Guard to quickly move resources. The governor said during a news conference that he will tour the site of the UPS cargo plane crash on Wednesday and will be joined by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.

Beshear said on Wednesday that the death toll is likely to rise. “I’m now fairly confident that that number will grow by at least one. We hope it doesn’t grow by too many more,” the governor told reporters at the state Capitol.

Greenberg said on Tuesday night that at least four people had been killed on the ground, while UPS said the plane had a crew of three people. Beshear said he didn’t know the status of the crew members on board.

Beshear said 16 different families have reported loved ones who are unaccounted for, and a significant search and rescue mission was still underway as of Wednesday afternoon. “There is a significant amount of resources in the search and rescue and, ultimately, what is probably by now the recovery effort that is occurring,” Beshear said.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived at the crash site on Wednesday morning to begin examining the wreckage to determine the root cause. “The NTSB has arrived. They are on the scene,” Dan Mann, executive director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, said at a press conference with the mayor. “I expect you will hear from them later today.”

UPS Flight 2976 crashed at around 5:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday as it was departing for Honolulu from the UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The cargo plane was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 made in 1991. Video of the crash showed flames from the cargo plane’s left wing with a trail of smoke. The plane lifted off the ground before crashing and bursting into flames. The crash ignited 38,000 gallons of jet fuel, creating a trail of billowing flames.

“Louisville looked apocalyptic last night,” said Democratic Rep. Morgan McGarvey during the mayor’s press conference. “The images of smoke coming over our city, of debris falling in every neighborhood, people trapped in their homes.”

Emergency officials had issued a shelter-in-place order for a 5-mile radius, as the airport is a few miles from downtown Louisville and close to residential areas. That shelter-in-place order was updated on Wednesday morning to include only those within a quarter-mile radius of the airport. The mayor stated that residents are safe to drink the water unless they have been specifically notified otherwise.

Beshear said 18 fire departments responded to the scene on Tuesday night. “In total, over 50 trucks responded … a surge of resources to respond to a very significant explosion and fire,” the governor said. Along with declaring a state of emergency, Beshear said he has “taken action to establish the Team Kentucky Emergency Relief Fund to help those affected” by the UPS cargo plane crash. “Donations will help pay for funerals and for response, recovery and rebuilding,” the governor added.

Greenberg said the Jefferson County coroner is at the crash scene and is working to identify the victims.