At least nine people have died after a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed on Wednesday.
Authorities fear the death toll could rise as search and rescue operations continue.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11, bound for Hawaii, went down at around 5:15 p.m. (2215 GMT) on Tuesday, plowing into nearby businesses and exploding into flames.
Video footage shared by local media showed the plane’s left engine on fire as it attempted to lift off.
“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,” Governor Beshear posted on X.
Earlier reports indicated that 16 families had relatives unaccounted for.
The crash occurred roughly three miles south of the airport, according to airport spokesperson Jonathan Bevin.
UPS confirmed three crew members were on board but said no injuries or casualties had yet been confirmed from their side.
The company has temporarily halted package sorting operations at its Louisville Worldport hub, its primary global facility.
Local aerial footage revealed a long trail of debris, with firefighters battling persistent flames and smoke.
The aircraft reportedly struck a petroleum recycling facility during the crash.
Mayor Craig Greenberg announced that aviation officials had reopened the runway by Wednesday morning, resuming limited flight operations.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The tragedy comes amid ongoing concerns about air traffic control shortages due to the longest U.S. government shutdowns in history.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had warned of potential disruptions, citing understaffed control towers.
This crash marks the deadliest incident in UPS’s history and raises further scrutiny of U.S. aviation safety, following the January collision of an American Eagle plane with a military helicopter outside Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport, which killed 67 people.
