The impact was devastating: the aircraft burst into flames as it collided with several businesses near the airport, creating a huge column of black smoke over the affected area. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear described the news as "tough" and reported through X that the death toll had reached at least seven, with expectations for that number to "increase."
Emergency teams are on-site working intensively to extinguish the fire and continue with the investigation. Footage from the scene showed a large amount of debris and apparent damage to a nearby building possibly caused by the accident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identified the aircraft as a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, operating as UPS Flight 2976. The plane crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time while departing from Kentucky bound for Hawaii. UPS had issued a statement indicating that three crew members were on board the aircraft, initially not confirming whether there were fatalities or injuries.
The cause of the accident is currently under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
This tragic event occurs amid one of the longest government shutdowns in U.S. history, a context that adds concern to airspace management. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had earlier warned on Tuesday about the possibility of "massive chaos" due to the lack of air traffic control personnel. Duffy had cautioned journalists that the shortage of controllers could lead to "massive cancellations" and even the closure of certain parts of airspace, as authorities simply could not manage it.
This is the second reported cargo plane incident recently; last month, another cargo plane skidded off the runway while landing in Hong Kong, resulting in the deaths of two individuals at the airport.
As authorities continue their work in Louisville, the fear of an increasing death toll remains, as well as questions about the impact of the government shutdown on aviation safety.