SRINAGAR: At least seven people were killed and several others injured when a UPS cargo aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville International Airport in Kentucky, bursting into flames as it struck nearby commercial buildings.
According to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, bound for Hawaii, went down at around 5:15 p.m. local time (2215 GMT).
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said during a press briefing that the number of fatalities and injuries was expected to rise. “First responders are on site working tirelessly to control the fire and assist with the investigation,” he posted on X.
The news out of Louisville is tough tonight as the death toll has now reached at least 7, with that number expected to rise. First responders are onsite and working hard to extinguish the fire and continue the investigation. 1/3
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 5, 2025
The cause of the crash is being investigated jointly by the FAA and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Footage aired by local broadcaster WLKY appeared to show the aircraft’s left engine on fire as it attempted to gain altitude.
Authorities at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport announced the cancellation of all outgoing flights on Tuesday evening, while UPS suspended package sorting operations at its main air hub.
Airport police spokesman Jonathan Bevin said the aircraft came down roughly three miles south of the airfield after departing from runway 17R.
Louisville serves as UPS’s primary air hub in the United States. The logistics giant operates nearly 2,000 flights daily to over 200 destinations worldwide, with a fleet of 516 aircraft—294 of which it owns outright, while the remainder are leased or chartered.
Aerial footage of the scene showed a long debris field with firefighters battling flames and thick smoke rising from the crash site. Governor Beshear confirmed that the aircraft had struck a petroleum recycling facility “quite directly.”
