Death toll rises to 11 after UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville

At least 11 people have now been confirmed dead in the aftermath of a UPS cargo plane crash near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, according to Governor Andy Beshear.

During a briefing on Wednesday, Beshear said the crash site, which spans two areas where the aircraft first struck and where it came to rest, was left devastated by the explosion and fire.

“Where the plane hit, at best is destroyed, and what you see are mangled remnants of what was in its past completely burnt and blackened,” the governor said. “Just five or six feet away, not even the paint is disturbed on another vehicle or another building.”

Beshear said the current fatality count stands at 11 but is expected to rise to 12 by the end of the day. He added that one of the victims is a young child and that several others remain unaccounted for.

The governor confirmed that recovery efforts are now underway, marking the end of the rescue phase. “We don’t expect to find anyone else alive in the area,” Beshear said. “We now move and put the safety of the first responders at the top of the list.”

Beshear said that operations will be limited at night to prevent injuries among crews working in the debris field. The FBI has joined the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to assist with cataloging and removing debris.

Tuesday’s crash occurred shortly after 5:20 p.m. when the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, operating as Flight UPS2976 from Louisville to Honolulu, struck several buildings shortly after takeoff, igniting multiple fires in an industrial and commercial area south of the airport.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the crash. The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are leading the investigation.