At least three dead and 11 injured after UPS plane crashes near Louisville airport

At least three people were killed and 11 others were injured on Tuesday, after a United Parcel Service (UPS) plane crashed near Kentucky's Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport shortly after take-off. 

Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed the fatalities and injuries in a news conference, stating that some of the injuries were "very significant," and warned the numbers are preliminary and could rise, especially with the status of three-person flight crew not currently known. 

“We do not — at the moment — have the status of the crew,” he said, per CNN. “I think we’re all very, very worried about them.”

The city has confirmed the crash, which occurred just after 5 p.m. Eastern, and warned people to stay away from the area.

"There has been an incident near the airport. A shelter-in-place has been issued for all locations within 5 miles of the airport," the Louisville Metropolitan Emergency Services posted on X. "Please remain away from the area until further notice."

The city later updated the shelter-in-place to extend to all areas north of the airport to the Ohio River.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it was investigating the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will lead the investigation.

"UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after departing from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky," the FAA posted on X. "The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA and NTSB will investigate."

Beshear also warned residents not to go near the fiery crash site, claiming it could still be explosive.

“Do not go to the crash site,” Beshear said. “You will put people in danger. You will put yourself in danger. There may be people that still need to be rescued. Do not be the reason that the first responders cannot get to them.”

Louisville Metropolitan Police Department chief Paul Humphrey said that it was not clear how long it would take to render the crash site safe.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.