Seven people have been confirmed dead and at least eleven others injured after a UPS cargo aircraft exploded during takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky late Tuesday afternoon, authorities say.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the MD-11 freighter was departing Louisville shortly after 5:15pm local time on a scheduled long-haul flight to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu when witnesses saw flames shooting from the aircraft’s left wing. Seconds later, the aircraft lost lift and slammed back into the runway area, triggering a massive explosion.
Dashcam videos and bystander footage posted online show a fireball rolling across the tarmac as the aircraft broke apart and scattered burning debris.
Local emergency crews say the burning wreckage continued off airport property, striking two nearby businesses — Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Autoparts. Governor Andy Beshear said nearly all employees at those sites were unaccounted for immediately after the blast, though two missing workers were later found alive.
UPS confirmed that three crew members were on board, but officials have not yet clarified whether the fatalities include flight crew, ground staff, or workers at the impacted facilities.
“We know this is going to be a long night. I’m praying for everyone involved. But based on what I’ve seen, we are facing a truly tragic loss,” Beshear said at an evening press briefing. He warned that both the casualty count and the injury count could still rise, noting that at least two victims were in critical condition as of Tuesday night.
Officials say the plane had been recently fueled with nearly 38,000 gallons of jet fuel to make the long haul to Hawaii — intensifying the blast and creating a fire path roughly five miles long.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into the disaster. FAA and airport officials say they are also reviewing maintenance logs, fueling records, and air traffic control audio as they try to determine what caused the initial fire on the left wing.
UPS released a brief statement saying the company is “shocked and devastated” and is cooperating fully with federal investigators.
Source:Africa Publicity
