A United Parcel Service cargo aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday, leaving a debris field stretching for roughly half a mile.
At least twelve people have been confirmed dead, but officials warn that the death toll could rise as recovery operations continue.
Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft struggling to gain altitude before it plummeted into a wooded area on the outskirts of Louisville, erupting into flames.
Emergency crews worked through the night to extinguish the fire and search the wreckage.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a full investigation into the crash. Officials confirmed that the two ‘black boxes’, the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, had been recovered and would be sent for analysis in Washington.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, but early reports suggest the aircraft may have suffered an engine failure shortly after take-off.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency to free up additional resources for emergency response and recovery.
The declaration allows state agencies to assist local authorities more effectively in managing the aftermath of the crash.
While reports indicate that the state of emergency has been enacted, it remains unclear whether the National Guard has been formally mobilised.
Officials have not ruled out the possibility of deploying additional personnel if the situation requires it.
The incident marks one of the deadliest air crashes in Kentucky’s recent history.
