🔗 Share this article

The number of fatalities from the UPS cargo plane which burst into flames and crashed has reached 13, per official reports.

Official's Statement

Traveling to the Union’s vigil, I received word of a 13th person that lost their life as a result of the plane crash,” wrote the city mayor in a online message. “My prayers is with the families, friends and colleagues of all who were killed in this recent calamity. We will overcome this together.”

Victims Named

A statement from the carrier identified the officers aboard the jet as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.

“Our thoughts reach out to each staff member who has been touched and everyone in our Louisville area – assisting you and making sure you get the support and assistance you need is our focus,” the firm’s message read.

Probe Findings

Government investigators announced that the freight aircraft’s left wing caught fire and an engine separated just after takeoff from the airfield, leading to the aircraft to crash and explode into a fireball.

The National Transportation Safety Board stated it is investigating the plane’s service record, which was in Texas for fixes weeks ahead of the crash.

Aircraft records revealed the aircraft was on the ground in that location from 3 September to mid-October.

“We are knowledgeable that this aircraft was present in that city,” stated an investigator on the following day, without a precise period. “We will review all elements of service that was performed, from the Texas time, straight to the day of the journey.”

Findings of Key Components

The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were recovered, and the motor was located on the tarmac.

The recorders – called flight recorders – were designed to survive collision damage and intense temperatures from infernos, and they appeared to be in one piece when found within the remains. Officials intend to reviewing recordings from the black boxes.

Aircraft’s final flight details indicated an height of that level and a rate of 210 miles per hour ahead of the accident.

Maintenance History

Per Federal Aviation Administration records dated that date, a fissure on a structural piece in the center wing fuel tank needed maintenance.

The company ST Engineering, which indicated it supplies structural repairs for the company’s jet and operates a maintenance center in San Antonio, refused to comment, but expressed it would cooperate fully when investigators approached it.

Services Continue

At the same time, the facility services restarted that evening with its express also known as evening process, spokesperson the company official stated. The three tarmacs at the airport were also reopened.

The UPS package handling facility in this location is the firm’s most significant. The center hires more than a large number of people in the locality, processes 300 trips daily and sorts more than a huge volume of packages an hour.

Public Support

A candlelight vigil was conducted on the late afternoon of 6 November by the regional Teamsters Union, which supports workers at the aviation hub, the firm’s biggest air cargo hub.

Worker representatives, which supports employees, started the memorial with a moment of silence at 5.14pm, the approximate time of the incident two days earlier.

“This tragedy was so abrupt, so unexpected,” the leader addressed the assembly of attendees. “No one had a chance to part to any of those who we have lost.”