Plane Crash Near Muhammad Ali International Airport Claims 14 Lives
(Louisville, KY) — A UPS McDonnell Douglas MD-11F plane crashed Tuesday night at Muhammad Ali International Airport, resulting in 14 confirmed fatalities.
Witnesses Debbie Graham and her daughter, both educators, were driving on Crittenden Drive when they encountered the scene. “Just suddenly in front of us was a gigantic fireball,” Graham recalled, emphasizing the immediate danger they faced. They pulled over to call 911, only to witness additional explosions that forced them to flee.
Video footage captured by Graham shows a massive cloud of smoke rising from the wreckage shortly after the crash. “You could see where buildings and trees had been hit, and the initial impact was engulfed in fire and black smoke,” she noted.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, with witnesses reporting that hundreds of first responders began arriving within minutes. The mother and daughter remained trapped near the site for approximately 10 minutes before being escorted to safety.
The incident has prompted an investigation, and while both women are shaken by the event, they expressed gratitude to the first responders and their relief at being unharmed. “Thinking that people lost their lives in that… It’s overwhelming,” Graham stated.
Authorities continue to investigate the causes of this tragic incident, and further details are pending.