UPS has temporarily grounded its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11s, which was the type of plane involved in a deadly crash in Louisville, Kentucky , earlier this week.

The decision was made "out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety," the company said in a statement late Friday night.

"We have made the decision to temporarily ground our MD-11 fleet," UPS said. "MD-11s are approximately 9% of the UPS Airlines fleet. The grounding is effective immediately."

"We made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer. Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our employees and the communities we serve," the statement continued.

The company added that "contingency plans are in place to ensure we can continue to deliver the reliable

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