Jaw-dropping video coming out of Kentucky. Incredible here. Showing the moment a UPS cargo plane crashed just moments after takeoff. At least seven people confirmed dead in this. Several others hurt. And now an investigation is underway to figure out just what went wrong. News 6’s Mark Layman is following those overnight developments live for us. And Mark, authorities say they are worried the death toll will be going up. Yeah, that’s because the explosion in wreckage covers a trail of destruction through businesses and roads.
We’re seeing several videos that showed the large fireball moments after impact. Meanwhile, there are a lot of questions about just how this could happen. Terrifying video capturing the moment a cargo flight erupts into flames after a crash near Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. Flight 2976 departed runway 17 right and went down 3 miles south of the airfield. The UPS plane was loaded with fuel for a trip bound for Hawaii. Video shows flames on the left wing and a trail of smoke. The plane then slightly lifting off the ground before crashing. Anybody who has seen the images in the video uh know how violent this crash is. And there are a lot of families that are going to be waiting and wondering for a period of time. According to first responders, at least seven people were killed, including three crew members on board and four others on the ground.
The explosion setting multiple buildings on fire, including an auto parts store and a petroleum recycling center. We have to use hundreds of personnel to surround it, contain it, and then slowly bring it in. Officials say the aircraft is an MD11 freight plane owned by UPS. Hundreds of firefighters worked to contain the flames, which spread over a large area. These are trained firefighters from all around the region that are handling this to search grid by grid very carefully to make sure if we can find any other victims.
As the area of the crash has been contained, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are now investigating. As that’s happening, we’re hearing from one witness who came across some of the debris from the crash. I’m going through that for my next report coming up at 5:30.