At least nine people died after a UPS cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, Tuesday afternoon.
The aircraft was on its way to Honolulu and was brimming with fuel when it crashed in a fiery explosion shortly after taking off from Louisville International Airport, according to WLKY-TV in Kentucky.
In addition to the nine dead, which included the three crew members on board, 15 were hurt and 16 were unaccounted for Wednesday.
The aircraft, an MD-11 carrying 38,000 gallons of fuel, crashed around 5:15 p.m. into an industrial area near the end of the runway.
Just before crashing, the plane’s left wing was reportedly on fire, according to the Associated Press.
“There’s very little to contain the flames, and really the plane itself is almost acting like a bomb because of the amount of fuel,” aviation attorney Pablo Rojas told the AP.
The death toll has risen to nine after a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday, according to local officials.
“Anybody who has seen the images and the video knows how violent this crash is,” said Kentucky Gov.… pic.twitter.com/h3Ky02cX6r
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 5, 2025
Upon impact, the resulting explosion and fire spread to nearby buildings, including Kentucky Petroleum Recycling and Grade A Auto Parts. Two of their employees remain missing, according to WLWT-TV in Cincinnati.
It was 11 p.m., nearly six hours later, when first responders finally extinguished the flames.
WARNING: The following video contains crash images that some may find disturbing.
The fiery explosion of a UPS cargo plane during takeoff — which killed at least 7 people Tuesday — can be seen in terrifying security video.
Details: https://t.co/Vpw4pvyFp2 pic.twitter.com/h6Ia4HNV0L
— TMZ (@TMZ) November 5, 2025
UPS Worldport, the distribution center the aircraft departed from, shut down its operations Tuesday, but resumed operating in limited capacity by Wednesday.
“We all know somebody who works at UPS,” Louisville Metro Council member Betsy Ruhe told AP. “And they’re all texting their friends, their family, trying to make sure everyone is safe. Sadly, some of those texts are probably going to go unanswered.”
At a news conference Wednesday morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency.
Kentucky governor declares STATE OF EMERGENCY after Louisville airport plane crash
Residents around the area should NOT consume water pic.twitter.com/aqRbgQzHG3
— RT (@RT_com) November 5, 2025
He also warned residents and business owners “immediately near” the crash site to avoid drinking public water until further notice.
“Other areas are safe,” Beshear said. “If you are in the suburbs, if you’re in other parts of Louisville, you are as safe today as you’ve been any other day. The air is fine; your water is fine, but that immediately around the crash site, we’re just trying to be very careful.”
Of the 15 people injured on the ground, 13 have been discharged from the hospital, while two remain in critical condition, according to WLKY.
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