UPS Flight 2976 crashed at around 5.15pm local time on Tuesday as it was departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport for Honolulu, Hawaii – and it burst into a fireball
The plane erupted into a fireball after it took off(Image: @X)
At least three people have died after a cargo plane crashed and exploded during takeoff.
The UPS plane, which had 38,000 gallons of fuel (about 144,000 litres), erupted into a fireball moments after it left Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport at 5.15pm yesterday (local time). Authorities confirmed the three fatalities, but this figure is expected to rise.
Louisville residents should remain indoors and shut doors and windows, amid what is “still a very dangerous situation”. It is thought the pilot and crew on the UPS Flight 2976 died, however rescue operations continue for people trapped in buildings near the airport, which handled nearly five million passengers last year.
Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, said: “Right now we believe we have at least three fatalities, though I believe that number is going to get larger. We have at least 11 injuries, some of them very significant… Anybody who has seen the images, the video, knows how violent this crash is.”
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Emergency services tackle the blaze(Image: WLKY)
The Mirror has now verified sufficient information to outline what happened at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport yesterday, and how the authorities are handling the aftermath.
While police there have stressed they are unable to comment on the cause of the crash at this stage, there is an active probe to free people trapped in the wreckage and in buildings close to the hub.
UPS’ global aviation hub is based at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. This plane, which was due for Hawaii, caught ablaze as it attempted to lift off the ground and then exploded in a huge fireball.
Aerial view of Louisville airport as firefighters tackle blaze(Image: @X)
How many people have been killed?
Authorities have just finished a press conference at the airport and told reporters, at this stage, they know three people have been killed. This figure, they say, is expected to increase. No further details about these people, such as their ages and genders, were disclosed at the briefing.
A further 11 people have suffered injuries but, again, this number is likely to increase – follow our live blog for updates on these tolls. The extent of these injuries are “very significant,” but the exact nature of the wounds remains unclear.
It is thought scores of other people have suffered minor physical injuries, and even mental trauma. The magnitude of the impact was felt across a large radius around the airport. Destyn Mitchell, who was working at an Outback restaurant about a 15-minute drive from the crash, heard a “very loud boom.” About 20 people were in the restaurant.
She said: “The mood in the restaurant was very shaken up. Everyone is really concerned. People who just sat down to eat got up and left in under 30 minutes and packed up their food because they wanted to hurry up and get home.”
Gov. Andy Beshear talks to the press
What should residents do?
A shelter-in-place order was extended to all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River. The Louisville airport is only a 10-minute drive from the city’s downtown, which sits on the river bordering the Indiana state line. There are residential areas, a water park and museums in the area.
Those living in that area, and others further out from the airport, must remain indoors, authorities said. Gov Beshear said: “There may be people that still need to be rescued. Do not be the reason that the first responders cannot get to them. There are still dangerous things that are flammable, that are potentially explosive.”
He described the incident as a “catastrophic crash” and says it is an “all hands on deck response”. While the plane was not carrying any specifically hazardous cargo onboard that would create an environmental issue for people around the site, the impact of the crash could create those scenes.
Boeing is supporting its customer
Airplane manufacturer Boeing says it is “following the news out of Louisville” and is “ready to support our customer”.
“Our concern is for the safety and well-being of all those affected,” it says in a statement on its website, adding that it has offered technical assistance to the National Transportation Safety Board, which will lead the investigation into the crash.
The aircraft that crashed was a MD-11F – and UPS planned to phase out its fleet of MD-11s over the next decade, it is reported. The large freight plane was brought in during the 1990s to fill a growing need for long-haul cargo transport. The aircraft was originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, which later merged with Boeing in 1997.
MD-11s are just over 61 metres long and have a wingspan of 52 metres. For comparison, a Boeing 747 is roughly 76 metres long and has a wingspan of 68 metres.
