Local News
At Least Seven Killed, Eleven Injured After UPS Cargo Plane Crash Near Louisville Airport
LOUISVILLE, KY — At least seven people have been confirmed dead and eleven others injured following the crash of a UPS cargo plane near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Tuesday evening, November 4.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear cautioned that the number of casualties is expected to rise as emergency crews continue their search and recovery operations in the affected area.
The aircraft, identified as UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, crashed shortly after takeoff around 5:15 p.m. local time.
The plane was en route to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu when it went down near Grade Lane and Fern Valley Road, igniting multiple fires and causing a partial collapse of at least one commercial building.
Emergency responders described the scene as chaotic, with several structures engulfed in flames and heavy smoke visible for miles.
Fire officials declared a third-alarm response, requesting additional units to contain the fire and search for survivors. Utility crews worked to secure power lines while foam suppression units were deployed to manage fuel fires.
Authorities confirmed that three crew members were on board the aircraft.
UPS has not yet released their names, stating that they are in the process of notifying families.
“At this time, we have not confirmed the condition of our crewmembers,” UPS said in a statement. “Our focus is on cooperating fully with authorities and supporting the families affected by this tragic event.”
In an emotional development, the wife of a UPS pilot contacted a local news station, expressing fear that her husband may have been among those on board.
She stated that her husband was scheduled to depart Louisville around the same time as Flight 2976 and that she has not heard from him since the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that UPS Flight 2976 was the aircraft involved and announced that both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct a full investigation.
The NTSB will lead the inquiry and provide all official updates as evidence is collected from the crash site.
A shelter-in-place order was issued for all locations within a five-mile radius of the airport due to hazardous debris and ongoing fire hazards.
Louisville Metro Police urged residents to avoid the area as rescue teams continued to assess structural damage and search for those possibly trapped.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that as many as 25 people may have been trapped in a nearby building following the crash.
Louisville serves as the global logistics hub for UPS, housing its Worldport facility, the company’s largest air hub.
The 5.2 million-square-foot complex handles more than 300 daily flights, sorts over 400,000 packages per hour, and employs more than 20,000 workers in the region.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear released a statement following the tragedy, saying, “We are aware of a reported plane crash near Louisville International Airport. First responders are on-site, and we will share more information as it becomes available. Please pray for the pilots, crew, and everyone affected.”
As the investigation continues, local, state, and federal agencies remain on scene, working to determine the cause of the crash and assist affected families.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.