Smoke rises from the wreckage of a UPS MD-11 cargo jet after it crashed on departure from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 4, 2025. A UPS cargo plane crashed and exploded in a massive fireball while taking off from the company’s global aviation hub in Louisville, killing at least nine people and injuring 11, authorities said. (OSV News/USA Today Network via Reuters/Jeff Faughender)
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Saying he was deeply saddened, Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville prayed for comfort, peace and healing after the deadly crash of a UPS cargo plane at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Nov. 4.
UPS flight 2976 to Honolulu caught fire and crashed just beyond the runway on departure at about 5:14 p.m. EST on Nov. 4.
Three crew members were on board the MD-11 aircraft. They are among 11 people who were confirmed dead the afternoon of Nov. 5, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. At least 11 people were injured and several are still missing. "We believe that we’ll learn that there was one child in those 11,and a young child, at that, which makes it all the harder," Beshear added.
In a statement Nov. 5, Fabre said, "I want to extend my deepest condolences to the families who are mourning the death of their loved ones. May God comfort and strengthen them during this difficult time."
"I invite you to join me in praying for the repose of the souls of those killed, the healing of those injured, and their families," Fabre continued.
"Let us also pray for the first responders whose courageous actions we are grateful for in the face of tragedy," he said.
During a morning press conference Nov. 5, Beshear said that more than 200 first responders and 50 fire trucks were at the crash site Nov. 4 — facing dangerous conditions as the fire spread — to locate survivors.
UPS Worldport, the hub of the company's global delivery service, employs more than 20,000 people in its facilities at the Muhammad Ali airport. It is one of Louisville's largest employers. Two nearby businesses were also directly affected by the crash.
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Search and rescue efforts were continuing throughout the day Nov. 5. Chief Mark Little of the Okolona Fire Protection District said during a midday press conference that recovery efforts would likely continue for a week and said small fires and hot spots were still burning in a vast debris zone.
A Victim Family Reunification Center has been set up at the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy.
The city had asked most residents of the Louisville metro area to shelter in place throughout the evening Nov. 4, close windows and turn off ventilation systems. At midday Nov. 5, the shelter-in-place order remained for those within a quarter-mile of the crash site.
While the aircraft did not include hazardous materials in its cargo, according to state officials, the plane was equipped with enough fuel for the cross-country flight to Hawaii, about 38,000 pounds, according to the governor. In the hours after the crash, a heavy plume of smoke stretched across the Louisville area, depositing ash in some places.
Parishes, pastors and religious communities around the area have joined their voices with the archbishop's, offering prayers and asking the community to pray for the people affected. St. Margaret Mary Church scheduled adoration for 6:30 p.m. this evening, Nov. 5.
Offering an invitation, the parish posted on social media, "Come join us in prayer tonight for our city and all those impacted by this recent tragedy. Find rest at the feet of Jesus and in His most Sacred Heart. Let Him give you comfort and peace."
In a Nov. 4 statement, Beshear added his voice to calls for prayer, saying. "Let's please pray for all those affected, and for the dedicated first responders who will be working around the clock to help keep our community safe. Remember: We are in this together, Kentucky."
The National Transportation Safety Board is on site and leading the investigation.
