New Delhi, Nov. 5 -- A UPS cargo flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 ET after it took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Kentucky, en route to Honolulu, Secretary of the US Department of Transportation Sean Duffy said. The aircraft was a McDonnell Douglas MD-11.

Meanwhile, reports claimed that a large UPS cargo plane with three people aboard crashed and exploded Tuesday, igniting a massive fire that left a thick plume of black smoke over the area.

Sean Duffy took to social media to share "heartbreaking images" coming out of Kentucky.

A video also surfaced on social media, showing flames on the plane's left wing and a trail of smoke.

The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge ...