At least nine people are dead and more are injured after a UPS plane crashed on Tuesday as it was departing from Louisville, Kentucky, spurring a massive fireball and leaving a trail of destruction, officials said.
« Kentucky, more heartbreaking news out of Louisville. The number of those lost has now risen to at least 9, with the possibility of more, » Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a Wednesday morning post on X. « Right now these families need prayers, love and support. Let’s wrap our arms around them during this unimaginable time. »
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg also confirmed in a Wednesday post on X that « responders have located 9 victims at the site of the UPS crash. » In a statement, a spokesperson for Greenberg was unable to confirm how many people died on the plane and how many died on the ground. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, had three crew members on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
UPS Flight 2976 crashed Tuesday evening as it departed Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport for Honolulu, according to the FAA.
Officials initially confirmed that 7 people died in the crash. At least 11 people were also injured from the crash, according to Beshear, who called the incident a « catastrophic event. »
Video from the crash shows a large fireball and smoke plume erupting from the crash site. The plane had around 38,000 gallons of fuel on board, according to officials.
Officials issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area, reduced to a quarter-mile radius around the crash site, the mayor said Wednesday morning.
The crash happened on the airport’s West Runway, the airport said on Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning, the airport said it was open and « available for aircraft operations. »
« TSA screening remains ongoing this morning for departing passengers, » the airport said in a statement on X. « Anyone scheduled to depart or arrive at SDF today is encouraged to closely monitor their flight status as delays. »
UPS said in a statement on Tuesday that it was « terribly saddened » by the crash.
« Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved, » the company said. « 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. »
Beshear is scheduled to address the public on the crash later Wednesday morning with further information.
