At least 9 killed, 11 injured after UPS plane crashes near Louisville airport
A UPS cargo aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday evening. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that UPS Flight 2976, bound for Honolulu with three crew members, went down around 5:15 p.m., only moments after departing from Runway 17R.
According to witness videos, the crash produced a large fireball and a towering column of smoke a few miles from the airport. Emergency teams responded as the wreckage burst into flames, causing an intense blaze in the surrounding area.
Authorities confirmed that at least nine people were killed, including several on the ground, and that the number might increase as recovery efforts continue. Eleven others were reported injured.
“First responders are on-site and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation,”
wrote Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear on X late Tuesday. During a press briefing, he added:
“We do not, at the moment, have the status of the crew.”
Public safety officer Jonathan Biven said the jet crashed roughly three miles south of the airfield. Governor Beshear clarified that the aircraft was not carrying any particularly hazardous cargo, though the fuel-fed fire presented significant risks.
Louisville Fire Department Chief Brian O’Neill said the plane carried approximately 38,000 gallons of fuel.
“So we're talking about a very, very dangerous situation,”
O’Neill emphasized as emergency services from multiple departments worked to control the blaze and secure the crash site.
Author’s Summary
The UPS Flight 2976 crash near Louisville left nine dead and multiple injured, prompting a massive firefighting and recovery effort amid hazardous fuel conditions.