The death toll from a horrific crash in Kentucky has risen to 11 and is likely to increase, officials say.
The UPS cargo plane was departing the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport about 5.20pm on Tuesday local time when it crashed just after takeoff.
Officials have confirmed the left engine of the plane caught fire during takeoff and immediately detached.
“We have viewed airport CCTV security coverage, which shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll,” NTSB board member Todd Inman told reporters.
There was a “large plume of fire in the area of the left wing occurred during the takeoff roll,” Inman said.
“The plane lifted off and gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of runway 17 R. Shortly after clearing that fence, it made impact with structures and the terrain off of the airport property.”
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirmed that the death toll currently stands at 11, but that the number is likely to rise.
“I’m now fairly confident that that number will grow by at least one,” Beshear said.
“We hope it doesn’t grow by too many more.”
UPS Flight 2976 has headed for Honolulu when it came down.
The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, had three crew members on board, according to the FAA.
It wasn’t immediately clear how many were killed on board the plane and the death toll of those on the ground.
“I don’t know how many victims we’re actually looking for. That’s one of the issues,” Okolona Fire District Chief Mark Little told reporters on Wednesday.
“And the debris zone is so large, so trying to get people back there and with the debris zone, some of that debris is going to have to be moved and searched underneath, so it will take us quite a while.”
Heather Fountaine, a spokesperson for the University of Louisville Health, said that it had received 15 patients from the crash across several hospitals.
“As of this morning, 13 of those patients have been discharged,” Fountaine said in a statement, adding that two patients remained in critical condition.
Two people were still in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Jason Smith, the chief executive of University of Louisville Health and a trauma surgeon at the University of Louisville Hospital, said at a news conference.
He added that of the 15 patients received, they were treated for burns, blast injuries and shrapnel injuries.
Beshear added that 16 families have reported loved ones who are unaccounted for.
– Matt Lavietes and David K. Li via NBC
The UPS cargo plane crash shortly after takeoff before erupting into flames. Credit: Getty Images
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Crash investigators have given us the first real clues into what caused the plane to plummet to the ground shortly after takeoff in Kentucky.
Crash investigators have given us the first real clues into what caused the plane to plummet to the ground shortly after takeoff in Kentucky.