Authorities on Wednesday are working to uncover the cause of a catastrophic airplane crash that killed at least seven people and sent the United Parcel Service aircraft into a ball of flames in Louisville, Kentucky, the day before.
The UPS plane was departing for Honolulu from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport when it crashed at about 5:15 p.m. local time Tuesday, authorities said. Video of the crash showed flames on one of the plane's wings, and a huge fireball erupting as the aircraft hit the ground.
The three crew members aboard the plane were killed in the crash, according to authorities. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said at a late-night news conference that four fatalities were confirmed on the ground, and 11 other people who were injured had been taken to local hospitals.
Officials said the death toll from the crash is expected to rise as crews search for additional victims.
"Anybody who has seen the images and the video know how violent this crash is, and there are a lot of families that are going to be waiting and wondering for a period of time,” said Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
