The tragic death toll from a devastating cargo plane crash in the United States has risen, casting a shadow over the Christmas period. Officials have confirmed that a man working on the ground when the aircraft came down has died from his injuries, bringing the total number of fatalities to 15.
A Fatal Christmas for Crash Victim
Alain Rodriguez Colina passed away on Thursday, 25 December 2025, succumbing to the severe injuries he sustained during the accident on 4 November. Rodriguez was an employee at the Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling scrapyard, one of the businesses struck by the out-of-control aircraft. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg each confirmed the sad news.
"Alain is the 15th victim of the UPS Flight 2976 accident," Mayor Greenberg stated in a post on X. Sean Garber, the owner of Grade A, revealed to local news outlet Wave that Rodriguez was the fourth of the company's employees to be killed in the disaster, with several customers also losing their lives.
The Crash and Its Aftermath
The sequence of events began when UPS Flight 2976, an MD-11 freighter fully loaded with fuel for a trip to Hawaii, suffered a catastrophic failure during takeoff from Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport. The plane's left engine detached, sending the aircraft careering into nearby industrial properties, where it erupted into a massive fireball. All three pilots on board perished.
Subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found cracks where the engine was connected to the wing. This discovery prompted swift regulatory action. Just four days after the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the grounding of all MD-11 aircraft, a model used exclusively for cargo for over a decade.
Legal Repercussions and Ongoing Scrutiny
The tragedy has sparked significant legal and safety questions. In early December, UPS was hit with a pair of wrongful death lawsuits. The legal actions accuse the delivery giant of continuing to operate older aircraft without enhancing maintenance beyond standard schedules. The manufacturer of the failed engine, General Electric (GE), is also named as a defendant in these cases.
Both UPS and GE have declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but have publicly asserted that safety remains their top priority as they assist official investigators. The community and the families of all 15 victims, including Alain Rodriguez Colina, remembered for his smiling service to customers, now face a long period of mourning and seeking answers.
