LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A tragically devastating UPS cargo plane crash has resulted in the confirmed deaths of 14 individuals, according to Mayor Craig Greenberg of Louisville, Kentucky. As of Saturday, it has been reported that there are no outstanding individuals currently unaccounted for among the missing. The crash took place on Tuesday at the UPS Worldport, a prominent logistics hub.
Mayor Greenberg provided updates via a post on X, indicating that the number of victims located at the crash site corresponds exactly with the total number of missing persons previously reported to law enforcement. "We believe the total number of victims will be 14," said Greenberg, which includes one individual who succumbed to injuries on Friday while receiving treatment in a hospital.
The Jefferson County coroner's office is actively working to identify the victims and will publicly release their names once confirmation is achieved, as noted by Mayor Greenberg. The tragic event specifically involved an MD-11 cargo plane that was on a scheduled flight bound for Honolulu. Reports state that the aircraft experienced a significant malfunction during takeoff, wherein a large fire erupted in the left wing, and one of the engines separated from the plane, leading to its catastrophic crash into nearby businesses.
In response to the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an order on Saturday that prohibits the operation of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes until further inspections can be conducted. This precautionary measure was taken following similar decisions made by UPS and FedEx on Friday to ground their own fleets of MD-11 aircraft to ensure safety.
It is noteworthy that MD-11 aircraft comprise approximately 9% of the UPS airline fleet and 4% of the FedEx fleet. This situation could have broader implications for air cargo operations as safety inspections and measures ripple through the logistics industry, in light of the devastating crash.
The aftermath of the incident has left a significant impact on the community, and recovery efforts are likely to continue as officials aim to derive comprehensive insights from the investigation. The coroner's office is expected to play a crucial role in determining the identities of the victims and offering closure to the affected families.
Furthermore, in the days following the crash, environmental concerns have been raised due to oil runoff from the incident contaminating local waterways such as Northern Ditch. Cleanup efforts are underway to address these environmental hazards which arise from such unfortunate events.
As the investigation progresses, both the private sector and regulatory bodies will be closely monitoring the developments related to the crash to ensure enhanced safety protocols are implemented in the future.
