At least nine people have been confirmed dead after a UPS cargo plane crashed and burst into flames near the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, United States, on Tuesday evening.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, which was en route to Hawaii, went down around 5:15 p.m. local time (2215 GMT), plowing into nearby businesses and causing a massive explosion.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described the incident as “heartbreaking” and said more fatalities could be recorded as rescue operations continued. “The number of those lost has now risen to at least nine, with the possibility of more. Right now, these families need prayers, love, and support,” he posted on X.
Beshear earlier stated that 16 families had reported loved ones missing following the crash. Search and rescue teams worked through the night and continued operations into Wednesday morning.
UPS confirmed that three crew members were on board but said it had yet to verify casualties. The company also suspended operations at its main Worldport hub in Louisville, its largest global air logistics facility.
Witness footage aired by local media showed the plane’s left engine on fire moments before it lost altitude. Aerial images later revealed widespread wreckage and thick smoke billowing from the crash site as firefighters battled the blaze.
Airport spokesman Jonathan Bevin said the aircraft went down about three miles south of the airfield, adding that normal flight operations resumed early Wednesday.
Governor Beshear disclosed that the cargo plane struck a petroleum recycling facility “pretty directly,” intensifying the explosion.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the cause of the crash, which is believed to be the deadliest in UPS history.
The tragedy occurred amid ongoing challenges in the U.S. aviation sector, including a prolonged government shutdown. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy earlier warned of “mass chaos” in air traffic operations due to staff shortages among air traffic controllers.
In January, a collision between an American Eagle passenger jet and a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., claimed 67 lives, ending the U.S.’s 16-year streak without a fatal commercial air crash.
