The tally of fatalities from the transport jet which ignited and went down has risen to 13, according to recent reports.
Official's Statement
While en route to the Union’s vigil, I was informed of a 13th person that lost their life as a result of the UPS flight 2976 accident,” expressed the city mayor in a social media post. “My prayers are with the loved ones, associates and peers of all who were killed in this recently occurred disaster. We will get through this as one.”
Victims Named
An announcement from the company listed the flight crew aboard the aircraft as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our sympathies go out to each UPSer who has been impacted and everyone in our community area – supporting you and guaranteeing you obtain the support and aid you need is our focus,” the company’s statement expressed.
Investigation Updates
Federal investigators revealed that the freight aircraft’s wing caught fire and an motor detached soon after liftoff from the aviation hub, causing the plane to plummet and erupt into a fireball.
The NTSB stated it is investigating the plane’s maintenance history, which was in the state for maintenance several weeks before the incident.
Aircraft records revealed the aircraft was on the runway in San Antonio, Texas from early September to last week.
“We are cognizant that this aircraft was located in that city,” said an NTSB member on Thursday, without a exact period. “We will look at every piece of maintenance that was performed, from the Texas period, all the way to the date of the flight.”
Recovery of Key Components
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were retrieved, and the engine was discovered on the airfield.
The recorders – called black boxes – were built to endure collision damage and severe heat from fires, and they appeared to be undamaged when located amid the remains. Authorities plan on analyzing information from the black boxes.
The plane’s last recorded information indicated an elevation of that level and a speed of that speed before the accident.
Maintenance History
Per aviation authority files from that date, a fissure on a component inside the tank area required maintenance.
The company ST Engineering, which indicated it provides airframe maintenance for UPS’s aircraft and operates a repair facility in Texas, chose not to speak, but stated it would work closely when relevant authorities approached it.
Services Continue
Meanwhile, the hub operations continued Wednesday night with its overnight or evening operation, representative the company official confirmed. The three landing strips at Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport were also reopened.
The sorting center in the city is the firm’s largest. The hub engages in excess of twenty thousand individuals in the area, processes numerous trips each day and processes in excess of a huge volume of parcels per hour.
Local Response
A memorial was organized on the late afternoon of that date by the local Teamsters Union, which supports workers at the aviation hub, the company’s biggest freight center.
Teamsters Local 89, which stands for employees, began the gathering with a quiet tribute at that time, the estimated hour of the crash before.
“This event was so abrupt, so unforeseen,” the official told the assembly of attendees. “No one had a chance to part to any one of those who we have mourned.”
