UPS Plane Crashes Near Louisville Airport
A UPS cargo plane crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky shortly after takeoff on Tuesday.
Details of the Crash
- The Federal Aviation Administration reported that UPS flight 2976, bound for Honolulu with three crew members, crashed around 5:15 p.m.
- Videos show a large fireball and thick smoke plume a few miles from the airport.
- The crash caused a massive fire in the area.
- At least nine people have died, including confirmed casualties on the ground, with the number expected to rise.
Official Responses
“First responders are on-site and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear on X Tuesday night.
“We do not, at the moment, have the status of the crew,” Beshear said earlier in a press conference.
Crash Location and Safety Concerns
- Flight tracking data shows the plane crashed less than a minute after takeoff from Runway 17R.
- Louisville airport public safety officer Jonathan Biven stated the crash site was three miles south of the airfield.
- Governor Beshear confirmed there was no specifically hazardous cargo on board, but fires and hazards remain in the area.
- A large-scale emergency response is underway by local fire and police departments.
- Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O'Neill indicated the aircraft carried about 38,000 gallons of fuel, making the situation extremely dangerous.
“So we're talking about a very, very dangerous situation,” O'Neill warned.
Summary
The UPS cargo plane crash near Louisville airport resulted in multiple fatalities and ongoing emergency efforts amid hazardous conditions, with investigations continuing.