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The number of victims from the UPS cargo plane which ignited and crashed has reached 13, according to latest statements.

Mayor's Remarks

“On my way to the Union’s vigil, I received word of a additional fatality that passed away as a result of the aircraft crash,” expressed the city mayor in a online message. “My prayers are with the loved ones, companions and colleagues of all who were lost in this week’s calamity. We will overcome this together.”

Casualties Confirmed

A release from the company identified the officers on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 as Pilot Richard Wartenberg, Co-pilot Lee Truitt, and International Relief Officer Dana Diamond.

“Our hearts reach out to every UPSer who has been affected and all in our community community – supporting you and making sure you receive the attention and assistance you need is our priority,” the company’s message read.

Inquiry Details

Government officials disclosed that the jet’s port side wing caught fire and an engine separated just after liftoff from the airfield, leading to the plane to crash and erupt into a inferno.

The safety agency stated it is investigating the aircraft’s maintenance history, which was in Texas for fixes several weeks before the incident.

Aircraft data indicated the aircraft was on the tarmac in that location from early September to last week.

“We are aware that this plane was located in San Antonio,” remarked an official on later, without a exact time frame. “We will look at all elements of repairs that was done, even the repair period, right up to the date of the flight.”

Findings of Critical Evidence

The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were retrieved, and the engine was found on the airfield.

The recorders – called black boxes – were designed to survive crash impacts and extreme temperatures from infernos, and they looked to be in one piece when located amid the wreckage. Authorities plan on analyzing recordings from the black boxes.

The plane’s concluding flight details indicated an elevation of 475 ft and a velocity of 210 mph before the impact.

Repair Background

Based on Federal Aviation Administration records dated last month, a fissure on a structural piece within the fuel container demanded fixes.

Headquartered in Singapore ST Engineering, which stated it supplies airframe maintenance for the company’s MD-11 and manages a repair facility in that city, declined to comment, but said it would work closely when relevant authorities approached it.

Services Restart

At the same time, the hub services resumed Wednesday night with its overnight also known as nighttime operation, spokesperson Jim Mayer said. The three runways at the aviation hub were additionally open again.

The sorting center in the city is the company’s biggest. The hub engages over 20,000 people in the locality, processes three hundred trips daily and sorts over four hundred thousand parcels each hour.

Community Support

A memorial was organized on the late afternoon of 6 November by the local Teamsters Union, which represents employees at the airfield, the firm’s largest air cargo hub.

Teamsters Local 89, which represents staff, commenced the memorial with a period of reflection at the evening hour, the approximate time of the incident before.

“This incident was so sudden, so surprising,” the mayor addressed the assembly of 200. “No one had a moment to say goodbye to any of those who we have said farewell to.”