The total count of victims due to the transport jet that burst into flames and crashed has now reached 13, according to recent statements.
Mayor's Remarks
“On my way to the Workers’ candlelight gathering, I received word of a additional fatality that passed away as a consequence of the plane accident,” wrote the local official in a online message. “My prayers is with the loved ones, friends and colleagues of all who were killed in this recent calamity. We will get through this together.”
Casualties Confirmed
An announcement from the company identified the officers aboard the jet as Captain Richard Wartenberg, First Officer Lee Truitt, and Relief Captain Dana Diamond.
“Our sympathies are extended to all staff member who has been affected and everyone in our local region – helping you and making sure you get the care and resources you need is our main concern,” the organization’s message stated.
Investigation Findings
Government investigators disclosed that the UPS cargo plane’s port side wing caught fire and an motor detached just after departure from the aviation hub, causing the jet to plummet and burst into a blaze.
The National Transportation Safety Board stated it is investigating the aircraft’s maintenance history, which was in Texas for fixes weeks prior to the incident.
Flight tracking records revealed the jet was on the tarmac in San Antonio, Texas from 3 September to mid-October.
“We are knowledgeable that this aircraft was there in San Antonio,” remarked an investigator on later, not giving a exact time frame. “We will look at every piece of maintenance that was performed, including the Texas time, all the way to the time of the flight.”
Retrieval of Critical Components
The cockpit voice recorder and data recorder were recovered, and the motor was located on the runway.
The devices – referred to as black boxes – were built to survive collision damage and extreme fire from fires, and they looked to be in one piece when found among the crash debris. Authorities intend to examining recordings from the devices.
The plane’s final flight details displayed an height of that level and a speed of that speed ahead of the impact.
Repair History
Based on aviation authority records from that date, a fissure on a part in the center wing fuel tank demanded fixes.
The company ST Engineering, which said it offers airframe maintenance for UPS’s MD-11 and runs a maintenance center in San Antonio, refused to speak, but expressed it would cooperate fully when investigators contacted it.
Operations Resume
In the meantime, the hub operations resumed last night with its overnight or night sort procedure, representative a representative stated. All three runways at the airport were likewise reopened.
The distribution hub in the city is the company’s most significant. The hub engages over 20,000 individuals in the locality, manages three hundred aircraft daily and organizes over four hundred thousand packages per hour.
Public Response
A memorial was organized on the night of that date by the area worker’s group, which represents staff at the aviation hub, the firm’s largest air cargo hub.
Teamsters Local 89, which represents UPS workers, began the gathering with a period of reflection at the evening hour, the approximate moment of the crash previously.
“This incident was so unexpected, so surprising,” the mayor addressed the crowd of attendees. “No one had a chance to part to each of those who we have mourned.”
