Overview
- UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Honolulu with three crewmembers, went down around 5:15 p.m. local time shortly after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear reported at least seven deaths with additional severe injuries, warning the toll could rise as responders continue search and rescue operations.
- Louisville Metro Police expanded a shelter-in-place zone to all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River, and officials said the airfield remains closed as crews work the hazardous scene.
- The jet struck businesses in an industrial area, triggering explosions and extensive fires that officials linked to a heavy fuel load estimated at more than 250,000 gallons.
- Early videos and flight-tracking data show an apparent left-wing or engine fire and a brief climb to roughly 175 feet before descent, while the cause remains under investigation by the NTSB with FAA support.