A tragic accident in the city of Louisville has left a death toll of 11 so far after a plane crashed shortly after takeoff
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A tragedy shook Louisville on Tuesday afternoon when a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Muhammad Ali International Airport, causing a massive fireball and leaving at least 11 people dead, including the three crew members of the aircraft and several civilians on the ground. Authorities fear that the death toll may rise, as there are still missing persons.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), security camera footage from the airport shows the moment when the plane's left engine detaches from the wing during the takeoff roll.
Seconds later, the aircraft tilted to one side, lost control, and crashed, exploding upon impact with the ground. "We saw the left engine detach from the wing during the takeoff maneuver," confirmed Todd Inman, a member of the NTSB, at a press conference.
El motor izquierdo del MD-11 de UPS se desplomó del ala izquierda provocando el accidente
The aircraft, a 34-year-old McDonnell Douglas MD-11 identified as UPS Flight 2976, was headed to Honolulu with three crew members on board and was carrying about 50,000 gallons (190,000 liters) of aviation fuel.
The initial explosion caused a series of secondary fires in an industrial corridor near the airport, affecting an oil recycling plant that also exploded. The fire spread over more than 800 meters (2,625 feet), forcing the complete closure of the airport and the temporary suspension of operations at Worldport, UPS's global logistics hub.
More than 200 firefighters and emergency teams with about 50 units were deployed to control the fire, which filled the sky with a dense column of black smoke visible from several kilometers (miles) away.
La explosión inicial se extendió a más de 800 metros del epicentro de la misma
Despite the magnitude of the disaster, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported that nearby facilities, such as a convention center, a restaurant, and a Ford Motor Company plant, were not damaged.
Beshear declared a state of emergency in Kentucky to facilitate the arrival of state and federal resources at the accident site. "The number of victims has increased to at least 11, and we expect it to grow," he stated in a post on X.
"We believe that among the deceased there may be a child," he added. The governor also warned that at least 16 families have reported missing relatives and that search and rescue operations are ongoing.
El gobernador de Kentucky declaró el estado de emergencia en el estado
Local authorities reported that another 11 people were injured, some seriously, and were taken to nearby hospitals. In addition, a temporary warning was issued for residents in the area near the accident not to drink tap water until environmental safety tests are completed.
The NTSB confirmed the discovery of both black boxes, the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, which are in good condition and will be sent to Washington, D.C., for analysis. "We are confident that we'll obtain a complete reading of the data and that will help us understand what happened," Inman said.
UPS, headquartered in Louisville and the city's main employer, expressed its "deep sorrow" over the tragedy and assured that it is fully cooperating with authorities. "We're deeply saddened by this accident. Our prayers are with all those affected," the company said in a statement.
UPS aseguró que colaborará con las autoridades para la investigación
