At least seven people were killed and 11 injured after a UPS cargo plane crashed on Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky, erupting into a massive fireball shortly after takeoff, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said.
“The news out of Louisville is tough tonight as the death toll has now reached at least 7, with that number expected to rise,” Beshear posted on X. “First responders are onsite and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation.”
“Air monitoring assets have been deployed, and we are working to keep the public informed and keep folks in the area safe. We will share more information as it’s available,” he added.
What do we know about the crash?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the plane crashed at about 5:15 p.m (2215 GMT) local time.
The plane crashed “after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky,” the FAA said in a statement.
UPS said that the US National Transportation Safety Board was conducting an investigation into what happened.
The flight was taking off, and heading for Honolulu, Hawaii.
Broadcaster WLKY, a CBS affiliate, showed footage of the crash. The plane took off with fire on one wing, and a huge fireball broke out as it hit the ground. Several buildings in an industrial area beyond the runway were ablaze after the crash, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the evening sky, visible from several miles away.
Louisville Metro Emergency Services said it had issued a shelter-in-place order for all locations within five miles (eight kilometers) of the airport.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
