UPS Plane Crash Casualties Increase to 13; Identification of Victims Underway

The number of fatalities resulting from the Louisville, Kentucky plane crash has climbed to 13, as announced by officials on Thursday.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg shared that he was informed of a 13th casualty linked to the crash of UPS flight 2976 as he was on his way to a vigil organized by the Teamsters. 'My thoughts are with the families, friends, and coworkers of those who perished in this tragedy. Together, we will overcome this,' he posted on social media.

Local coroner's office has yet to confirm any identities of those lost. Earlier, Greenberg stated that nine individuals were still missing since the crash.

Out of the 15 individuals brought to the University of Louisville Hospital following the accident, two were noted to be in critical condition as of Wednesday. It remains unconfirmed whether the latest fatality was one of these patients or if search teams discovered their remains at the accident site. Further clarification has been sought from the mayor's office by CBS News.

The individuals onboard the aircraft have been identified by UPS as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond.

UPS Executive Vice President Nando Cesarone conveyed the team's profound sorrow over the tragedy of Flight 2976 in an official statement.

The airplane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Freighter, had taken off on Tuesday from UPS Worldport at Louisville International Airport, the company's global aviation hub, when a severe fire erupted in one of its wings, as explained by the National Transportation Safety Board's Todd Inman, who is overseeing the investigation.

The crash, alongside the resulting blaze, annihilated the sizable cargo aircraft and spread destruction to nearby businesses, situated in an industrial corridor adjacent to the airport.

Mayor Greenberg described the scene as 'devastating,' noting the wreckage included 'twisted, scorched metal,' with part of the plane's tail protruding from a storage silo.

'People often say it's something out of a movie, but this was more harrowing than cinematic depictions,' Greenberg told journalists.

Investigation Progress in Plane Crash

According to Inman, the final recordings from the plane showed it had attained about 475 feet altitude with a speed of 210 mph prior to the crash.

Salvage teams have recovered the main engine component and engine fan pieces from the airfield.

Inman mentioned that UPS confirmed there were no maintenance actions prior to the flight that might delay the flight. Investigators plan to scrutinize available video for any potentially relevant activity involving the MD-11 in preceding days.

Flight records indicate the plane was grounded in San Antonio from September 3 to October 18, without clarity on specific maintenance undertaken.

'We intend to thoroughly investigate all maintenance activities from the San Antonio period up to the day of the flight—it will be an exhaustive task,' Inman stated.

As of now, no immediate safety actions against other MD-11 aircraft in operation are seen as necessary.

Community Response and Vigil

The public is invited to a vigil organized by Teamsters Local 89 on Thursday afternoon, a call encouraged by the mayor to reflect on the loss and find collective strength.

The UPS handling hub in Louisville is a central operation point, employing over 20,000 individuals, processing around 300 flights daily, and sorting over 400,000 packages each hour.