Cargo Jet Crash£s After Takeoff, K!lling At Least 7 People
US Cargo Jet Crashes After Takeoff, Killing At Least 7 People
The video, reportedly filmed by airport employees which has gone viral on social media platforms, captures the plane already in flames as it rolls down the runway before erupting in a massive fireball and thick black smoke.
Afootage has emerged online showing the moment a United States UPS cargo jet crashed immediately after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday, resulting in at least seven fatalities.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, operating as UPS Flight 2976, was headed to Honolulu, United States, when it went down near the airport.
The video, reportedly filmed by airport employees which has gone viral on social media platforms, captures the plane already in flames as it rolls down the runway before erupting in a massive fireball and thick black smoke.
Other footage shows the jet tearing through several buildings near the airport.
In a statement, UPS confirmed that one of its cargo planes crashed shortly after takeoff near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, November 4.
According to the company, the aircraft, an MD-11, was carrying three crew members on board.
“At approximately 5:20 PM ET tonight, UPS Flight 2976 from Louisville, KY, to Honolulu, an MD-11 with three crew members onboard, was involved in an accident in Louisville. At this time, we have not confirmed any injuries or casualties,” the company said in a statement as quoted by The Economic Times.
“UPS will release more facts as they become available, but the National Transportation Safety Board is in charge of the investigation and will be the primary source of information about the official investigation,” the statement further reads.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), also in a statement said the plane crashed at around 5:15 pm local time, shortly after departing from Louisville.
“UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky,” the FAA confirmed.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. Both the NTSB and FAA have stressed that the information surrounding the crash remains preliminary.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the crash site, which remains an “active scene with fire and debris”.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that seven people are believed to have been killed and 11 others were injured in the crash, warning that the toll could rise as rescue efforts continue.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said that four people on the ground were among the dead, while the three crew members onboard the plane are presumed to have been killed.
Louisville Metro Police confirmed an active scene with visible fire and debris scattered across the area.
Spokesperson Matt Sanders said the incident “involved a plane crash with injuries and more than 20 calls for service.”
According to data from FlightRadar24, the aircraft, registered N259UP, was a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11(F) that had been converted to cargo and entered UPS service in 2006.
The crash has prompted an investigation by the FAA and NTSB, with the NTSB taking the lead in determining the cause of the accident. The incident has raised concerns about aviation safety and the potential implications for the industry.
