The death toll from Tuesday’s crash of a United Parcel Service (UPS) cargo plane in Louisville, Kentucky, has risen to nine, with fears that more casualties may be discovered, Governor Andy Beshear confirmed on Wednesday.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, which was headed for Hawaii, went down shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport around 5:15 p.m. local time (10:15 p.m. GMT). The plane burst into flames after crashing into nearby business premises, sending thick smoke billowing across the area.
Governor Beshear described the accident as “heartbreaking” and “unimaginable,” saying rescue efforts were ongoing. “The number of those lost has now risen to at least nine, with the possibility of more,” he wrote on X. “These families need prayers, love and support.”
He revealed that 16 families had reported loved ones missing, as emergency responders continued search operations through the night and into Wednesday morning.
UPS, in a statement, confirmed that three crew members were aboard the aircraft but said it had yet to verify the number of casualties. The company added that it had suspended package sorting operations at its main Louisville facility, which serves as its global logistics hub, employing thousands of workers.
Local broadcaster WLKY released a video showing the left engine of the aircraft on fire moments before it crashed. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg later announced that flight operations at the airport had resumed early Wednesday.
Airport spokesperson Jonathan Bevin said the cargo plane went down roughly three miles south of the airfield shortly after takeoff.
Aerial footage from the scene showed firefighters battling intense flames amid scattered debris. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
The incident is believed to be the deadliest in UPS’s history. It occurred as the United States faces one of its longest government shutdowns, which has reportedly strained air traffic control operations nationwide.
Earlier Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had warned of potential “mass chaos” in air travel due to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers.
In January, a separate crash involving an American Eagle passenger jet and a military Black Hawk helicopter near Washington’s Reagan National Airport claimed 67 lives, ending a 16-year period without a fatal commercial air disaster in the United States.
