Louisville mayor says last missing victim from UPS plane crash found

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg says the last of the missing victims from the UPS plane crash has been found.

The mayor posted a video to his social media pages on Saturday, sharing the news that a 13th missing person from Tuesday’s UPS plane crash has been found. He says this number matches the number of missing-person reports submitted to LMPD.

Mayor Greenberg previously shared a separate video on his social media on Friday announcing that a 14th victim was found at the crash site that evening.

“We pray for each of the victims’ families and pray that no additional victims are lost as our first responders continue to search and seek answers that we all are looking for,” said Mayor Greenberg.

Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond were identified by UPS on Thursday as the crew members onboard the aircraft when it went down.

UPS released the identities of the three crew members who were onboard Flight 2976 when it... — UPS released the identities of the three crew members who were onboard Flight 2976 when it crashed.(Independent Pilot Association)

On Wednesday, the NTSB said that an engine detached from the UPS jet involved in the deadly Nov. 4, 2025, crash.

During a media update on Thursday, the NTSB confirmed that Flight 2976 was traveling at a speed of 210 miles per hour and at an altitude of 475 feet at the time of the last reading retrieved.

Spokesperson Todd Inman also said the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder have been recovered. Inman said both of the so-called ‘Black Boxes" suffered from heat but did not sustain intrusion from the crash or the resulting fire.

The aircraft involved in the accident was an MD-11F, with registration number N259UP was manufactured in 1991.

According to Inman, the plane was cleared for takeoff on Runway 17-R (Right). After receiving clearance, the jet began it’s takeoff roll when a large plume of fire was seen coming from the left wing.

Inman said he has seen airport surveillance video showing the left engine (Engine 1) detaching from the plane. That engine was found on the airport grounds.

The aircraft lifted from the runway and cleared a fence at the end before striking structures outside of the airport property. The impact of the aircraft left a debris field approximately 1/2 mile in length.

FBI agents are also on the scene to assist the NTSB with in the investigation. The NTSB will hold an additional press conference at 3 p.m. WAVE will carry the feed live.

UPS Worldport has reopened and UPS planes are flying in as scheduled.

FlyLouisville announced that all three runways at SDF had reopened as of 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, and were fully operational.

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During the late afternoon hours of Nov. 4, emergency crews responded to the large fire at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport following the crash. Hundreds of firefighters from across the state have worked to get the blaze under control. Crews will then perform a grid search.

According to officials, calls came in at around 5:14 p.m. of a plane crash near Fern Valley Road and Grade Lane. Grade Lane will be closed indefinitely between Stooges and Crittenden.

At the reunification center at 2911 Taylor Blvd., 16 different families have reported loved ones unaccounted for. A significant search and rescue mission was underway overnight, which is continuing this morning. The shelter in place has been reduced for the Louisville area. 2/3
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) November 5, 2025

The FAA released the following statement regarding the crash:

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 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was headed to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation and will provide all updates.

The official cause of the crash has not been reported at this time. The National Transportation Safety Board is the lead investigative agency. A team of 28 NTSB members arrived in Louisville Nov. 5 to begin their investigation.

A maintenance report shows that the last date of service for the MD-11 was Sept. 4, 2025.

Mayor Craig Greenberg said via X that one runway at the airport has reopened.

UPS released the following statement saying that they are halting operations due to the crash:

We are terribly saddened by the accident tonight in Louisville. Our heartfelt thoughts are with everyone involved. UPS is committed to the safety of our employees, our customers and the communities we serve. This is particularly true in Louisville, home to our airline and thousands of UPSers.

We are engaged with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the accident and are staying in close contact with the Federal Aviation Administration. We will work tirelessly with state and local authorities on response efforts.

As a result of the accident, we are halting operations tonight at Worldport. The Next Day Air sort has been cancelled and employees should not report to work tonight.

UPS also says that all family members of employees seeking information should call the family assistance line at (800) 631-0604.

UPS also canceled its Second-Day Air sort shift for Wednesday, a spokesperson said. Hub and ramp employees on that shift should not report to work.

A shelter-in-place has been issued by Louisville Metro Police for all locations within a quarter-mile radius of the airport. Pedestrians are advised to avoid the area. Anyone within that area is asked to stay indoors to avoid smoke and debris.

Jeffersonville Police have also issued a shelter-in-place from the Ohio River north to Tenth Street and east along the river to the Port of Indiana.

The Health Department advises those with homes or businesses within the shelter-in-place area to turn off any air intake systems.

Law enforcement is also advising that anyone who finds debris from the crash avoid touching it and report it on the Louisville Metro Government website.

Due to the shelter-in-place order, all JCPS schools and buildings will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 5. Extracurricular activities and athletics have also been cancelled.

The district says this will operate like a snow day with no online instruction. Air and water quality will be tested at all schools near the crash site.

UPS said there were three crew members on board the plane.

LMPD requests that anyone seeking loved ones to not go to local hospitals, as they are not equipped to handle family reunification. Families are advised to instead report to the Family Reunification Area at the LMPD Training Facility at 2911 Taylor Boulevard.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg released the following statement regarding the crash:

Rachel and I are praying for victims of the UPS plane that crashed during takeoff at 5:15 p.m. We have every emergency agency responding to the scene. There are multiple injuries and the fire is still burning. There are many road closures in the area – please avoid the scene. The plane was carrying 280,000 gallons of fuel. We’ll have a briefing soon with Governor Beshear. We’ll provide more details as they are available.

SDF says that all arriving and departing flights are temporarily suspended and the airfield is closed.

People near the airport reported finding Hawaiian style dresses near the site of the crash that appear to have come from the plane.