Kentucky plane crash: Death toll rises to 12 after UPS plane crashes at Louisville International Airport

At least 12 people have died after a UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky on Tuesday evening (local time), with authorities warning the death toll is likely to rise.

Of the 12 victims, investigators believe three are likely to be crew members who were on the flight when it crashed, while the other nine remain unidentified.

Airport surveillance footage has revealed that the left engine detached from the wing during takeoff, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

“We have viewed airport CCTV security footage, which shows the left engine detaching from the wing during the takeoff roll,” NTSB member Todd Inman said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon (local time).

The aircraft erupted into a massive fireball at UPS’ global aviation hub, igniting over 143,000 litres of jet fuel and unleashing a trail of flames that swept across the site.

Dramatic dashcam footage captured the aircraft’s final moments before disaster.

The video shows UPS flight 2976 erupting into flames as it attempted to take off, flipping mid-air before crashing into a cargo lot.

The clip was recorded from a truck parked nearby and also captures the stunned reaction of the driver as the fiery wreck unfolded just metres away.

The blaze required a major emergency response, with 18 fire departments and over 50 trucks deployed to contain the inferno.

Emergency crews continued searching the wreckage on Wednesday, while investigators from the NTSB arrived to begin examining the cause of the crash.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said 16 families had gathered at the reunification centre, anxiously waiting updates on missing loved ones.

Mr Beshear said he predicts the death toll will rise.

“I’m now fairly confident that the number will grow by at least one. We hope it doesn’t grow by too many more,” he said at a press conference.

He added that authorities are expected to have a clearer picture of whether anyone is still missing from the crash within hours.

“There is significant amount of resources in the search and rescue and, ultimately, what is probably by now the recovery effort that is occurring,” he said.

Local congressman Morgan McGarvey, whose district includes much of Louisville, said the crash has left the city in shock.

“Louisville looked apocalyptic last night,” he said. “The images of smoke coming over our city, of debris falling in every neighbourhood, people trapped in their homes.”

Another video captured from a truck parked about one kilometre from the crash site shows the moment of impact, followed by a towering plume of smoke and flames.

University of Louisville Health received 15 patients across several hospitals and medical centres following the crash. Two remain in critical condition in ICU, while the other 13 have since been discharged.