Today, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, alongside other Kentucky officials, named the 14 victims of the United Parcel Service plane crash outside of Muhammad Ali International Airport on Nov. 4.
“Our city feels the full weight of this unimaginable tragedy,” Greenberg said at the press conference. “Behind every one of these names is a circle of family, friends, stories that will forever be unfinished.”
“I hope that with this certainty, their grieving can continue and turn to healing, and that they can begin to find ways to move forward, to recover from this trauma and find joy and happiness in life once again, knowing it will never be the same without their loved one,” he added.
The victims include 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, and Fedon’s 3-year-old granddaughter Kimberly Asa.
Greenberg said the victims were able to be identified through DNA, medical, and dental records — which were completed less than 24 hours ago — as well as cooperation from UPS on the identities of the pilots.
Jefferson County Coroner Jo-Ann Farmer stood alongside Greenberg at the press conference and said that “there’s almost a sense of relief” between officials and the families of the victims that all of the bodies have been identified.
“I had a family member ask me yesterday, ‘How do you ever get used to this? And I said ‘I don’t,’” Farmer stated. “If I get used to this and it doesn’t bother me, I’m in the wrong profession.”
UPS, FEDEX GROUND PLANE MODEL INVOLVED IN DEADLY LOUISVILLE FLIGHT
Video of the crash circulated on social media after the Hawaii-bound flight crashed into a nearby facility, obliterating several neighboring buildings and causing a fiery explosion fueled by nearly 38,000 gallons of gas.
The reason for the crash is still unknown, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration to call for an inspection of all such aircraft.