The tally of victims from the UPS cargo plane which ignited and went down has now climbed to 13, per recent reports.
Mayor's Statement
“On my way to the Union’s vigil, I received word of a additional fatality that lost their life as a outcome of the UPS flight 2976 crash,” stated the municipal leader in a public communication. “My heart is with the loved ones, friends and co-workers of all who were lost in this recent calamity. We will endure this as one.”
Victims Identified
A release from the company identified the flight crew on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our thoughts reach out to every staff member who has been impacted and everyone in our Louisville region – helping you and ensuring you obtain the support and assistance you need is our priority,” the company’s statement stated.
Inquiry Updates
Government officials announced that the freight aircraft’s left wing caught fire and an engine detached just after departure from the aviation hub, causing the aircraft to plummet and erupt into a blaze.
The safety agency has said it is investigating the plane’s service record, that was in Texas for maintenance several weeks before the accident.
Flight tracking information revealed the aircraft was on the ground in the Texas city from early September to last week.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was there in the facility,” stated an official on later, without providing a specific time frame. “We will examine all elements of repairs that was performed, including the San Antonio time, straight to the day of the trip.”
Retrieval of Critical Evidence
The audio device and information unit were recovered, and the power plant was found on the tarmac.
The devices – known as flight recorders – were constructed to withstand accident forces and intense temperatures from fires, and they appeared to be intact when found within the remains. Investigators will examining data from the recorders.
Aircraft’s last recorded information displayed an altitude of 475 ft and a speed of 210 mph before the impact.
Repair History
Based on Federal Aviation Administration documents from last month, a fissure on a structural piece inside the fuel container needed fixes.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which indicated it provides structural repairs for the carrier’s jet and operates a repair facility in San Antonio, declined to speak, but expressed it would work closely when officials contacted it.
Activities Restart
Meanwhile, UPS Worldport services resumed that evening with its express also known as nighttime operation, representative a representative confirmed. All three tarmacs at the aviation hub were additionally back in operation.
The sorting center in this location is the firm’s largest. The center employs over a large number of workers in the area, processes three hundred flights daily and organizes more than 400,000 packages per hour.
Public Reaction
A memorial was conducted on the late afternoon of that date by the local worker’s group, which supports staff at the airfield, the company’s largest freight center.
The union chapter, which supports UPS workers, began the memorial with a quiet tribute at the evening hour, the estimated moment of the crash two days earlier.
“This incident was so sudden, so unexpected,” the mayor addressed the crowd of 200. “No one had a moment to say goodbye to each of those who we have said farewell to.”
