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The tally of victims resulting from the UPS cargo plane that burst into flames and went down has now reached 13, as confirmed by official statements.

Mayor's Announcement

“On my way to the Union’s memorial service, I received word of a thirteenth victim that lost their life as a result of the aircraft accident,” stated the local official in a public communication. “My thoughts is with the families, friends and peers of all who were taken in this recent calamity. We will get through this together.”

Deceased Identified

An announcement from the carrier named the flight crew aboard the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.

“Our thoughts go out to all UPSer who has been impacted and all in our Louisville region – assisting you and ensuring you obtain the support and resources you need is our priority,” the firm’s communication read.

Investigation Updates

Federal authorities revealed that the freight aircraft’s left wing caught fire and an power plant detached just after departure from the aviation hub, causing the aircraft to fall and erupt into a blaze.

The safety agency announced it is investigating the aircraft’s service record, which was in Texas for maintenance several weeks prior to the incident.

Aircraft data revealed the plane was on the ground in that location from 3 September to last week.

“We are aware that this plane was located in San Antonio,” stated an NTSB member on Thursday, without providing a precise date range. “We will look at all elements of service that was done, even the San Antonio period, straight to the date of the journey.”

Recovery of Critical Items

The cockpit voice recorder and information unit were recovered, and the motor was found on the runway.

The recorders – called black boxes – were designed to withstand crash impacts and severe fire from infernos, and they appeared to be undamaged when discovered within the remains. Investigators will analyzing recordings from the black boxes.

Jet’s last recorded information showed an elevation of 475 ft and a speed of 210 miles per hour ahead of the impact.

Maintenance Record

Based on FAA records dated that date, a fracture on a part in the center wing fuel tank needed repairs.

Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which indicated it offers aircraft servicing for the carrier’s jet and operates a repair facility in Texas, chose not to provide remarks, but stated it would assist completely when relevant authorities approached it.

Activities Continue

At the same time, the hub operations restarted Wednesday night with its Next Day Air or night sort procedure, spokesperson the company official confirmed. All three runways at Louisville Muhammad Ali international airport were also open again.

The UPS package handling facility in this location is the firm’s most significant. The facility hires over twenty thousand individuals in the area, processes three hundred flights per day and processes more than a huge volume of items each hour.

Public Response

A candlelight vigil was conducted on the late afternoon of 6 November by the regional Teamsters Union, which supports workers at the airfield, the organization’s biggest freight center.

Teamsters Local 89, which supports employees, began the gathering with a period of reflection at 5.14pm, the estimated time of the accident two days earlier.

“This incident was so abrupt, so unforeseen,” the leader addressed the group of attendees. “No one had a moment to part to each of those who we have said farewell to.”