Tragic News on UPS Incident: Fatalities Climbs to 13

The tally of victims from the UPS cargo plane that burst into flames and crashed has now reached 13, per recent announcements.

City Leader's Statement

Traveling to the Teamsters’ memorial service, I received word of a thirteenth victim that passed away as a result of the plane crash,” wrote the city mayor in a public communication. “My prayers are with the families, companions and peers of all who were killed in this week’s tragedy. We will endure this collectively.”

Victims Confirmed

A release from the carrier listed the pilots on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.

“Our thoughts are extended to each UPSer who has been touched and all in our local region – helping you and guaranteeing you get the support and assistance you need is our main concern,” the organization’s communication read.

Investigation Findings

Federal investigators disclosed that the freight aircraft’s wing burst into flames and an motor detached soon after departure from the Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport, resulting in the jet to fall and explode into a inferno.

The NTSB announced it is probing the jet’s service record, that was in Texas for fixes several weeks before the incident.

Aviation information indicated the jet was on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas from early September to mid-October.

“We are cognizant that this aircraft was present in San Antonio,” stated an NTSB member on later, not giving a specific period. “We will look at every piece of service that was completed, including the San Antonio time, right up to the time of the trip.”

Retrieval of Key Items

The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were recovered, and the power plant was found on the tarmac.

The devices – referred to as flight recorders – were designed to survive accident forces and extreme fire from blazes, and they appeared to be undamaged when found among the crash debris. Investigators will reviewing data from the recorders.

Aircraft’s last data recordings indicated an elevation of that level and a velocity of 210 miles per hour prior to the accident.

Service History

Per FAA records from 18 September, a fracture on a component inside the tank area needed repairs.

Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which stated it supplies aircraft servicing for the carrier’s jet and operates a repair facility in that city, chose not to speak, but said it would work closely when investigators contacted it.

Activities Restart

At the same time, the facility activities resumed Wednesday night with its overnight also known as evening procedure, spokesperson a representative confirmed. The three landing strips at the aviation hub were also open again.

The UPS package handling facility in the city is the company’s largest. The center hires over twenty thousand people in the area, processes three hundred flights per day and sorts more than a huge volume of packages an hour.

Local Reaction

A memorial was conducted on the night of that date by the local Teamsters Union, which represents staff at the aviation hub, the company’s primary air cargo hub.

Teamsters Local 89, which supports UPS workers, started the memorial with a period of reflection at the evening hour, the approximate moment of the crash previously.

“This event was so unexpected, so unforeseen,” the leader spoke to the group of 200. “No one had a chance to part to each of those who we have said farewell to.”