Four killed as cargo plane crashes in US

At least four people were killed and eleven others injured after a UPS cargo plane crashed at Louisville International Airport in Kentucky, United States.

The accident occurred at 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, November 4, when the plane crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport’s UPS Worldport for Honolulu, triggering a massive fire, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

According to AP, video footage showed the aircraft crashing to the ground moments after gaining slight altitude and exploding instantly. Flames engulfed the left wing of the plane as plumes of smoke rose into the sky. The footage also showed a building near the runway with a damaged roof.
Airport spokesperson Jonathan Biven said at least four people were confirmed dead, while several among the eleven injured were in critical condition.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, built in 1991, had three crew members on board whose conditions were yet to be known.

UPS operates its largest parcel-handling facility in Louisville, employing thousands of workers. The hub handles over 300 flights daily and sorts more than 400,000 parcels per hour.

In a statement, UPS confirmed the incident and said that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would lead the investigation.
Authorities have closed the airport completely and said operations are unlikely to resume before Wednesday morning.