Global delivery giants UPS and FedEx have temporarily grounded part of their cargo plane fleets following a deadly crash in Kentucky that claimed at least 14 lives and caused extensive damage near Louisville International Airport.
The tragedy occurred when a UPS MD-11 cargo aircraft caught fire and crashed into nearby business buildings shortly after takeoff on Tuesday, igniting a massive blaze that destroyed several structures and forced the airport’s temporary closure.
UPS confirmed that it had grounded all MD-11 aircraft in response to a safety advisory from Boeing, while FedEx said it would follow the same directive.
In a statement, UPS said the move — which affects about 9% of its total fleet — was taken out of “an abundance of caution.”
“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve,” the company said.
Boeing later confirmed it had recommended the suspension of MD-11 operations as it worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to determine the cause of the crash.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the left engine caught fire and detached from the wing during takeoff. The aircraft, a MD-11F triple-engine freighter, was carrying 38,000 gallons (144,000 litres) of fuel bound for Hawaii, worsening the post-crash inferno.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg expressed condolences to the families of the victims, saying, “We pray for each of the victims’ families and hope that no additional lives are lost.”
The MD-11 model, originally manufactured by McDonnell Douglas before its merger with Boeing in 1997, stopped production in 2000, and passenger use ended in 2014. Both UPS and FedEx have since relied on the aircraft for long-haul freight operations.
It remains unclear how long the grounding will last or how it might affect global cargo delivery schedules, as both carriers coordinate alternative logistics plans.