The number of victims from the transport jet that ignited and went down has now reached 13, as confirmed by recent announcements.
Mayor's Remarks
While en route to the Teamsters’ candlelight gathering, I received word of a additional fatality that died as a outcome of the UPS flight 2976 incident,” wrote the city mayor in a public communication. “My heart is with the loved ones, associates and co-workers of all who were lost in this recently occurred tragedy. We will endure this collectively.”
Casualties Confirmed
A statement from the company named the officers operating the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our hearts reach out to every UPSer who has been affected and all in our local community – assisting you and guaranteeing you receive the care and aid you need is our main concern,” the organization’s statement expressed.
Inquiry Details
Federal authorities announced that the freight aircraft’s port side wing ignited and an motor separated soon after departure from the aviation hub, leading to the aircraft to fall and burst into a fireball.
The safety agency stated it is investigating the aircraft’s service record, that was in Texas for maintenance a period before the accident.
Flight tracking data indicated the jet was on the tarmac in that location from 3 September to 18 October.
“We are aware that this aircraft was present in the facility,” remarked an official on the following day, without a exact date range. “We will look at every piece of service that was performed, including the Texas visit, all the way to the date of the trip.”
Findings of Vital Components
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were retrieved, and the motor was discovered on the airfield.
The devices – known as flight recorders – were constructed to withstand crash impacts and extreme temperatures from infernos, and they looked to be intact when discovered within the remains. Officials plan on reviewing recordings from the recorders.
The plane’s concluding flight details indicated an altitude of 475 ft and a rate of that speed ahead of the impact.
Repair History
Per Federal Aviation Administration documents dated last month, a fracture on a structural piece within the fuel container demanded fixes.
Singapore-based ST Engineering, which said it provides airframe maintenance for the company’s jet and manages a repair facility in that city, declined to speak, but expressed it would assist completely when relevant authorities reached out it.
Operations Resume
In the meantime, UPS Worldport operations restarted last night with its Next Day Air or evening operation, spokesperson the company official stated. Each of the three runways at the aviation hub were also reopened.
The UPS package handling facility in this location is the organization’s biggest. The facility hires more than twenty thousand individuals in the locality, manages 300 aircraft per day and sorts in excess of four hundred thousand parcels per hour.
Local Reaction
A gathering was held on the late afternoon of 6 November by the area worker’s group, which represents employees at the aviation hub, the company’s primary freight center.
Teamsters Local 89, which represents employees, began the vigil with a moment of silence at the evening hour, the rough hour of the crash previously.
“This tragedy was so unexpected, so unforeseen,” the official spoke to the group of 200. “No one had a moment to say goodbye to any of those who we have mourned.”
