NEED TO KNOW
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A UPS cargo plane caught fire and left a devastating trail of damage on a runway at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 4
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Just over a week later, local officials announced the names of all 14 victims
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“Our city feels the full weight of this unimaginable tragedy,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg
The names of all 14 victims of the UPS plane crash in Louisville have now been identified.
Local officials announced the news on Wednesday, Nov. 12, just over a week after the fatal crash near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
The victims have been identified as Capt. Dana Diamond, 62; Capt. Richard Wartenberg, 57; First Officer Lee Truitt, 45; Angela Anderson, 45; Carlos Fernandez, 52; Trinadette “Trina” Chavez, 37; Tony Crain, 65; John Loucks, 52; John Spray, 45; Matthew Sweets, 37; Ella Petty Whorton, 31; Megan Washburn, 35; Louisnes Fedon, 47, as well as Fendon’s 3-year-old granddaughter Kimberly Asa.
Diamond, Wartenburg and Truitt were previously identified as UPS pilots.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg went on to say that officials do not believe anybody else died in the crash.
“Our city feels the full weight of this unimaginable tragedy,” Greenberg said while speaking at Wednesday’s press conference. “Behind every one of these names is a circle of family, friends, stories that will forever be unfinished.”
In a separate statement, UPS said that they “appreciate the dedication and compassion shown by the coroner’s office throughout this process” and that they “extend our deepest condolences” to all the families who lost loved ones.
The cargo plane was traveling from Louisville to Honolulu, Hawaii, when it crashed at about 5:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman said in a press conference on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
A preliminary investigation revealed three people were onboard the plane when “a large plume of fire” erupted from the area of the left wing during the “takeoff roll,” Inman said.
The plane then “lifted off and gained enough altitude” to clear a fence at the end of the runway, only to crash into multiple structures “off of the airport property,” he added.
The fire that resulted from the crash was nearly a half mile long, Inman said. The black box inside the plane survived the blaze, he said.
Sean Garber, who owns one of the businesses impacted by the explosion, said that the victims who weren’t onboard the aircraft were either customers or employees of Grade A Auto Parts and Scrap Metal Recycling, according to NBC News.
“This is a catastrophic event and there are a lot of people hurting who need our love and support,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said last week. “Let’s please pray for all those affected.”
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
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Speaking at Wednesday’s press conference, Jefferson County Coroner Jo-Ann Farmer said that the bodies were identified through DNA, medical records and dental records — and that the testing process was completed less than 24 hours ago.
“I had a family member ask me yesterday ‘How do you ever get used to this? And I said ‘I don’t,'” Farmer said when asked about the weight of the past few days. “If I get used to this and it doesn’t bother me, I’m in the wrong profession. I need to move on to something else.”
In a final message to the families, Greenberg expressed his condolences and said that local officials “will continue to be here to support you in the weeks, months and year ahead.
He added, “May each of your loved ones’ memories be a blessing.”
Read the original article on People
