Three people have been killed after a cargo plane crashed near Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) in Louisville, Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear said.

"We believe we have at least three fatalities. I believe that number is going to get larger. We have at least 11 injuries, some of them very significant, that are being treated by local hospitals. Number will get larger," Beshear told reporters on Tuesday.

His remarks came after the United Parcel Service (UPS) confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved in the crash, prompting the temporary closure of the airfield.

Beshear said there was "no specifically hazardous cargo" on board that would pose an environmental threat to the surrounding area, but warned that "the impact and where it impacted could create those types of situations."

He added that two employees remain missing.

The airport said all arriving and departing flights have been temporarily suspended and that the airfield is closed.

Earlier, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5.15 pm local time (2215GMT) after departing from Louisville to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation into the crash and serve as the primary source of information about the ongoing probe.

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is the worldwide air hub for UPS.

The company’s Worldport is more than 5 million square feet where more than 12,000 UPS employees process more than two million packages a day, according to the company.