The first civilian victims of the UPS plane crash in Kentucky have been named as a grandfather and his three-year-old granddaughter.
The jet was departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport before one of its wings burst into flames shortly after taking off.
The death toll has risen to 13, with some of the victims being rushed to a local hospital in the aftermath of the crash on Tuesday.
According to a family friend, Louisnes Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter were killed during the crash. Speaking to ABC News, the friend said that Fedon was “simply an angel on earth,” who helped raise a “whole village” by collecting metal at a junkyard near the airfield to sell.
According to a GoFundMe campaign created by Jason and Brandi Mattingly, family friends of the Fendons, the grandfather and granddaughter were “simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, becoming victims of this catastrophic and unforeseen accident.”
“His death has created a sudden and immense void that goes far beyond emotional grief,” Jason and Brandi Mattingly wrote.
The campaign was launched to raise money for Lousines’s children, Shanya and Sheldon, as well as his wife, Sharon, since the grandfather supported the family financially.
Three aircraft crew members were killed in the crash, too, with UPS confirming that the incident led to the deaths of Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Captain Dana Diamond.
"Words can’t express the sorrow we feel over the heartbreaking Flight 2976 accident," Nando Cesarone, the UPS executive vice president for U.S. and UPS Airlines, said in a statement on Thursday. "Our hearts go out to every UPSer who has been impacted and all in our Louisville community -- supporting you and ensuring you receive the care and resources you need is our priority."
UPS Flight 2976 crashed at around 5.15 pm on Tuesday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter plane was bound for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport before its left engine detached.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, a “large plume of fire” erupted from the plane’s left wing as the engine became detached.
"The plane lifted off and gained enough altitude to clear the fence at the end of runway 17R,” NTSB board member Todd Inman said at a public briefing. “Shortly after clearing that fence, it made impact with structures and the terrain off of the airport property.”
On Thursday, the NTSB confirmed at a public briefing that data from the jet’s black boxes had been downloaded in a “good extraction.” Preliminary flight data obtained by the NTSB says that the jet’s last reported altitude was 475 feet.
As the investigation into the crash continues, UPS announced that the company’s CEO, Carol Tomé, sent a message to all UPS employees.
“We have suffered a tragic accident involving Flight 2976,” the statement read. “We are deeply saddened and our hearts continue to be with all who have been impacted.
“We will keep them in our hearts as we continue our commitment to safety, care and community.
“I am incredibly grateful to our team in Louisville for their grace and professionalism. We are not alone in this moment and from the notes I’ve received from around the world,
“I know that solidarity and empathy are powerful forces in healing. United, we are strong.”
