9 missing after UPS plane crash in Kentucky

(NewsNation) — Nine people were missing Thursday after a UPS cargo plane crashed near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky, local authorities said.

In a news conference, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said nine people presumed to be in the area at the time of the crash were reported missing by their families.

“We have located 12 victims of this crash, including what we believe to be three of the UPS crew," he added.

He said authorities were able to identify six of those victims on Wednesday.  

The plane was traveling from Louisville International Airport to Honolulu when it crashed during takeoff, striking nearby buildings and causing a massive explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash, with assistance from the FBI and ATF. On Thursday, the NTSB announced the plane's black box and cockpit voice recorder had been recovered from the crash site.

E.J. Meiman, executive director for Louisville Metro Emergency Services, said search and rescue efforts would continue until all victims are accounted for.

“We’ve got urban search and rescue teams from all over the county that have come in and are doing methodical searches,” Meiman said. “And again, if they find something they need to get into, they’ve got to coordinate with the NTSB to make sure that it is not any kind of aircraft component or anything.”

Fire crews remained on-site to put out any hot spots that may reignite as the investigation continues. The air and water quality in the area were also being monitored, given the size of the plume from the explosion.

“They were not getting any significant air monitor readings for any health hazards all the way to the river," Meiman said. "And that’s why, through the night, we were able to significantly reduce that shelter-in-place area."

The shelter-in-place is now a quarter mile in radius. No hazardous cargo was on board the plane that could cause further environmental issues, though officials said the scene was expected to remain active and dangerous in the coming days.

In a statement, UPS said it was “terribly saddened” by the crash and confirmed three crew members were on board the aircraft.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he was launching a disaster relief fund, which will first be used to fund the funerals of the victims. NTSB officials will hold a briefing on the investigation at 3 p.m. EST on Thursday.