The tally of fatalities due to the freight aircraft which ignited and went down has now reached 13, per recent reports.
Official's Statement
“On my way to the Teamsters’ vigil, I learned of a thirteenth victim that died as a result of the UPS flight 2976 accident,” expressed the local official in a social media post. “My heart is with the loved ones, friends and co-workers of all who were killed in this recently occurred tragedy. We will overcome this collectively.”
Victims Named
A release from UPS listed the flight crew aboard the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts reach out to all UPSer who has been impacted and everyone in our community community – assisting you and making sure you receive the support and resources you need is our main concern,” the company’s statement read.
Investigation Updates
Federal authorities disclosed that the freight aircraft’s left wing burst into flames and an engine detached shortly after departure from the aviation hub, causing the jet to crash and erupt into a inferno.
The safety agency has said it is investigating the aircraft’s maintenance history, which was in Texas for maintenance several weeks before the crash.
Aviation records showed the aircraft was on the runway in San Antonio, Texas from early September to mid-October.
“We are knowledgeable that this aircraft was there in San Antonio,” said an investigator on Thursday, without providing a exact date range. “We will look at all elements of maintenance that was performed, even the Texas time, straight to the time of the journey.”
Retrieval of Critical Evidence
The pilot’s recorder and flight data recorder were recovered, and the motor was located on the tarmac.
The devices – called flight recorders – were designed to withstand crash impacts and extreme fire from blazes, and they appeared to be intact when discovered amid the remains. Investigators intend to examining information from the recorders.
Aircraft’s last flight details displayed an height of 475 feet and a velocity of 210 miles per hour before the crash.
Maintenance Record
Per aviation authority files from 18 September, a crack on a structural piece within the fuel container demanded maintenance.
Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which stated it supplies airframe maintenance for the company’s aircraft and runs a repair facility in San Antonio, refused to provide remarks, but expressed it would cooperate fully when officials contacted it.
Activities Resume
Meanwhile, the hub operations continued that evening with its Next Day Air or night sort procedure, spokesperson a representative confirmed. Each of the three runways at Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport were likewise reopened.
The distribution hub in the city is the company’s most significant. The hub employs more than a large number of people in the area, handles numerous aircraft per day and organizes over 400,000 items each hour.
Local Response
A gathering was held on the late afternoon of that date by the local labor union, which supports staff at the airfield, the organization’s primary shipping facility.
Worker representatives, which supports staff, began the memorial with a moment of silence at 5.14pm, the rough time of the accident before.
“This event was so abrupt, so unexpected,” the official told the crowd of 200. “No one had a chance to bid farewell to any of those who we have mourned.”
