A scrapyard worker injured in the UPS plane crash dies on Christmas, raising deaths to 15

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A Cuban immigrant who had built a new life working at a Kentucky scrapyard died on Christmas Day from severe burns suffered in last month’s UPS cargo plane crash, raising the death toll to 15, officials said.

Alain Rodriguez Colina was on the ground when the plane, fully loaded with fuel for a flight to Hawaii, plowed into businesses after departing Louisville’s airport, exploding in a massive fireball. Gov. Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed his death via social media.

“May Alain’s memory be a blessing,” the mayor said late Thursday.

Three pilots and multiple people died after the plane’s left engine detached during takeoff on Nov. 4, and cracks were later found where the engine connected to the wing, the National Transportation Safety Board said. Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport is home the largest UPS package delivery hub.

Colina had worked since 2023 at the nearby Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling, moving up rapidly to the position of metal buyer, said owner and CEO Sean Garber in a phone interview Friday. Colina embraced the company’s culture and life in Louisville, even becoming a University of Kentucky fan. His mother and siblings lived in the area and he had a daughter in Cuba, he said.

Workers at the scrapyard have described the scramble to help survivors after the crash. Colina had been with a customer and a coworker who died, Garber said. Colina got out but was burned over 50% of his body, and doctors didn’t have much hope for a recovery.

He was in an induced coma, never regaining consciousness. His family visited often. It seemed like he was starting to heal, Garber said, but on Thursday he took a turn for the worse.

Colina was a good man, Garber said, with a big heart who cared about the business, customers and his family.

“He believed in the opportunity he got in the United States and really made the most of it,” Garber said. “He should still be with us.”

Earlier this month, a lawyer filed two wrongful death lawsuits that allege that the company kept flying older aircrafts without increasing maintenance beyond what's regularly scheduled. The lawsuit also names General Electric, which made the plane’s engine. Both UPS and GE have said they don’t comment on pending lawsuits but safety remains their top priority as they assist the federal investigation. That litigation does not include Colina.

Local businesses and more than 90 people affected by the crash, including Colina, plan to file another lawsuit in the coming weeks, said attorney Masten Childers III, whose firm is one of two representing those plaintiffs.

“Alain fought hard,” Childers said. “Alain’s passing must be honored by holding those responsible for his death accountable.”

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all MD-11s, the type of plane involved in the crash, which have been used only for hauling cargo for more than a decade.