Featured Image Credit: Getty/Stephen Cohen
Topics: US News
Joe Harker
At least seven people have died after a UPS plane crashed during takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, with at least 11 more injured.
The plane crashed at around 5:15pm local time yesterday (4 November) as it was taking off for a flight to Honolulu, Hawaii, with it lifting off the ground slightly before the crash, where it exploded in a large fireball.
Horrifying footage of the aftermath showed large flames pouring out of the wreckage of the plane, while videos of the crash itself showed a ball of fire blazing from the aircraft's left wing before the whole thing exploded.
Officials said that UPS had confirmed there were three crew members on board the plane at the time of the crash, and that of the seven killed, four were not on board the aircraft.
Advert
While the current death toll stands at seven, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said he expected that figure to rise and that the plane's three crew members were likely to have died.
Footage of the burning crash site showed firefighting crews surrounding the area and attempting to douse the flames, with aerial footage from WUSA showing damage to nearby buildings from the catastrophe, with a nearby roof appearing to have been shredded.
The airport has since announced that a runway has become 'available for aircraft operations', but warned that anyone with a journey passing through the area needs to be aware that delays and cancellations are likely.
People in the area have been instructed not to touch debris from the crash and to instead alert the authorities as to what they have found.
Advert
Smoke from the massive fireball produced by the plane crash dominated the Louisville skyline throughout the evening and into the night.
One of the buildings struck was a fuel recycling facility, with Beshear saying that Kentucky Petroleum Recycling had been 'pretty directly' hit.
In a statement, UPS said: "We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved.
"UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers.
Advert
"We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the accident and are staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts.
"As a result of the accident, we are halting package sorting operations tonight at Worldport.
"Family members seeking information should call 800-631-0604."