Local News
14 UPS plane crash victims identified
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Louisville community is mourning the loss of 14 lives following the catastrophic crash of UPS Flight 2976, a tragedy that claimed the lives of flight crew, employees, and innocent bystanders in what officials have described as one of the most devastating aviation incidents in the city’s history.
Authorities have confirmed the identities of the victims:
- Capt. Dana Diamond, 62
- Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 57
- First Officer Lee Truitt, 45
- Angela Anderson, 45
- Carlos Fernandez, 52
- Louisnes “Lou” Fedon, 47, and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa
- Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37
- Tony Crain, 65
- John Loucks, 52
- John Spray Jr., 45
- Matthew “Matt” Sweets, 37
- Ella Petty Whorton, 31
- Megan Washburn, 35
Families, friends, and coworkers describe the losses as immeasurable, with grief reverberating through workplaces, neighborhoods, and social circles across the region.
Among those still unaccounted for is 31-year-old Ella Petty Whorton, who routinely visited Grade A Auto Parts to drop off scrap metal and was confirmed to have been at the location shortly before the crash.
Loved ones continue to search for answers as recovery efforts progress.
The crash caused catastrophic damage to Grade A Auto Parts, destroying the business and claiming the lives of several employees.
Owner and CEO Sean Garber described the emotional toll as overwhelming:
“Nobody can comprehend an airplane crashing into your business — taking lives, destroying everything, and leaving so many unanswered questions. It’s one thing to hear about it, but living through it is something entirely different.”
Garber confirmed the deaths of several of his employees and stated that three workers currently remain missing, with one family requesting privacy.
Megan Washburn, 35, was a scrap metal buyer and customer experience agent. She was also a devoted mother to two children — a 20-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter.
John Loucks, 52, worked as a heavy equipment operator and was remembered for his reliability, calm presence, and dedication.
Matthew “Matt” Sweets, 37, a University of Louisville business graduate, is survived by his partner, Brooke Murray, and their two young children. His family remembers him as a loving father, loyal friend, and passionate professional.
The devastating loss of Louisnes Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter Kimberly Asa has shaken the community deeply. Family members say the two were inseparable and were in the wrong place at a tragic moment.
UPS confirmed the deaths of all three crew members aboard Flight 2976:
- Captain Richard Wartenberg
- First Officer Lee Truitt
- International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond
The company issued a statement honoring their professionalism and service.
Garber and other affected families are now seeking answers, questioning how a cargo aircraft carrying 38,000 gallons of fuel could experience such a catastrophic failure shortly after takeoff.
“Someone was negligent,” Garber said. “These pilots didn’t sign up for this, and neither did our employees. There must be accountability.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation, examining flight records, mechanical components, and eyewitness accounts.
Prayer vigils, assistance funds, and support networks have quickly formed across Louisville as residents and local organizations mobilize to help the families of the victims.
“Please keep these families in your prayers,” Garber urged. “They are living through something no one should ever have to endure.”
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.