The total count of victims resulting from the transport jet that ignited and went down has risen to 13, per recent statements.
City Leader's Statement
“On my way to the Teamsters’ memorial service, I received word of a additional fatality that died as a consequence of the UPS flight 2976 incident,” wrote the municipal leader in a public communication. “My heart are with the loved ones, associates and peers of all who were killed in this recently occurred disaster. We will endure this collectively.”
Deceased Confirmed
A statement from the carrier identified the flight crew aboard the aircraft as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.
“Our sympathies are extended to all employee who has been impacted and all in our community region – helping you and ensuring you get the attention and aid you need is our focus,” the firm’s statement stated.
Probe Updates
Government officials revealed that the UPS cargo plane’s left wing caught fire and an power plant detached soon after departure from the airfield, causing the aircraft to fall and erupt into a inferno.
The NTSB announced it is probing the plane’s service record, which was in Texas for repairs a period ahead of the accident.
Flight tracking data indicated the jet was on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas from early September to mid-October.
“We are aware that this aircraft was located in that city,” stated an official on Thursday, not giving a exact period. “We will review all elements of service that was completed, even the San Antonio visit, all the way to the date of the journey.”
Findings of Key Evidence
The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were retrieved, and the engine was located on the tarmac.
The units – called flight recorders – were built to survive crash impacts and severe temperatures from fires, and they looked to be intact when located within the crash debris. Authorities will examining data from the devices.
Aircraft’s final data recordings indicated an elevation of 475 feet and a speed of 210 miles per hour prior to the impact.
Service History
Per aviation authority documents dated that date, a crack on a structural piece inside the tank area needed repairs.
Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which indicated it offers airframe maintenance for UPS’s aircraft and operates a repair facility in San Antonio, refused to comment, but expressed it would assist completely when officials contacted it.
Activities Resume
At the same time, the facility operations restarted last night with its Next Day Air or night sort procedure, spokesperson Jim Mayer confirmed. Each of the three landing strips at the airport were likewise open again.
The UPS package handling facility in this location is the organization’s largest. The center employs in excess of a large number of individuals in the region, processes three hundred flights daily and organizes in excess of a huge volume of items each hour.
Local Reaction
A gathering was organized on the evening of that date by the local Teamsters Union, which supports employees at the airfield, the organization’s primary freight center.
Worker representatives, which supports employees, started the vigil with a quiet tribute at that time, the approximate hour of the accident before.
“This tragedy was so sudden, so surprising,” the mayor told the crowd of 200. “No one had a moment to say goodbye to any one of those who we have mourned.”
