A plane bound for Hawaii crashed on take-off hitting businesses: seven dead
A UPS cargo plane crashes near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky, killing seven people. Investigations are ongoing into the cause of the crash.
A UPS cargo aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, crashed yesterday afternoon near the international airport in Louisville, Kentucky, shortly after take-off, raising a massive column of black smoke visible for miles around. The death toll is at least seven.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the accident occurred at around 17:15 local time. The plane, which was departing for Hawaii, reportedly lost altitude moments after starting its runway run, and ended up hitting some businesses adjacent to the airport area.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear stated at a press conference that he feared a possible increase in the number of deaths and injuries, pointing out that 'the condition of the three crew members on board the aircraft remains unknown at this time' and adding that he was 'very concerned for them'.
UPS, in a statement released in the following hours, confirmed the presence of three crew members on board, specifying, however, that it still had no official information on any casualties or injuries.
A video released by local broadcaster WLKY appears to show the plane's left engine on fire as the aircraft attempted to take off. Aerial images of the crash site show a long trail of debris and firefighting teams working to put out the flames, which spread to a nearby oil recycling plant, which was hit 'quite directly', Beshear confirmed.
