🔗 Share this article

The tally of victims due to the freight aircraft which caught fire and went down has now climbed to 13, as confirmed by recent statements.

Mayor's Statement

Traveling to the Teamsters’ vigil, I learned of a additional fatality that passed away as a consequence of the plane crash,” expressed the city mayor in a online message. “My prayers is with the loved ones, friends and colleagues of all who were taken in this recent calamity. We will endure this as one.”

Deceased Identified

A statement from the carrier named the officers on board the jet as Captain Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.

“Our thoughts go out to all employee who has been impacted and everyone in our local area – assisting you and ensuring you obtain the attention and resources you need is our focus,” the firm’s communication expressed.

Inquiry Details

Government officials disclosed that the UPS cargo plane’s port side wing burst into flames and an power plant detached soon after takeoff from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, resulting in the jet to fall and explode into a inferno.

The safety agency stated it is probing the aircraft’s upkeep logs, that was in Texas for maintenance a period prior to the accident.

Aviation information indicated the plane was on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas from early September to last week.

“We are aware that this jet was located in the facility,” remarked an NTSB member on Thursday, without providing a specific date range. “We will examine all elements of service that was completed, even the San Antonio visit, all the way to the date of the flight.”

Retrieval of Critical Evidence

The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were retrieved, and the engine was located on the tarmac.

The units – called black boxes – were built to withstand accident forces and severe heat from blazes, and they appeared to be intact when located within the remains. Officials plan on reviewing recordings from the recorders.

Jet’s last recorded information showed an elevation of 475 ft and a velocity of 210 miles per hour before the accident.

Maintenance History

Per Federal Aviation Administration files from 18 September, a fissure on a structural piece inside the tank area required repairs.

The company ST Engineering, which stated it supplies aircraft servicing for UPS’s MD-11 and runs a repair facility in San Antonio, declined to speak, but stated it would work closely when relevant authorities approached it.

Services Restart

In the meantime, UPS Worldport operations continued last night with its overnight or evening procedure, representative Jim Mayer stated. Each of the three landing strips at the aviation hub were additionally reopened.

The UPS package handling facility in Louisville is the organization’s most significant. The center hires more than a large number of people in the area, processes numerous trips daily and organizes more than a huge volume of parcels each hour.

Public Reaction

A gathering was held on the night of recently by the area labor union, which acts for workers at the aviation hub, the organization’s biggest freight center.

Teamsters Local 89, which represents UPS workers, commenced the vigil with a period of reflection at that time, the rough hour of the crash before.

“This tragedy was so sudden, so unforeseen,” the official addressed the assembly of 200. “No one had a opportunity to bid farewell to each of those who we have mourned.”