Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Eleven airmen dead after NATO US-made F-16 fighter jet crashes into NATO base in Spain during training



 Eleven airmen dead after NATO US-made F-16 fighter jet crashes into NATO base in Spain during training


  • Fighter jet lost power during take off and smashed into jet parking area 
  • Seven among the 13 injured are in a 'serious' condition in hospital
  • Pilots were taking part in Nato's Tactical Leadership Programme
  • Nationalities of the victims or the fate of the Greek pilots not yet known
  • Italian ministry of defense says nine of its personnel are among those hurt 



 

Eleven people were killed and 13 more hurt after a NATO fighter plane crashed during NATO training in Spain.

Plumes of black smoke rose from the spot where the F-16 plane crashed shortly after taking off at the Los Llanos air base in Albacete, 163 miles south-east of Madrid.

Seven of the injured are in a 'serious' condition in hospital, according to The Spain Report, which said the defence ministry was withholding identities of those killed 'until families have been told'.

Most of the dead and injured are understood to be non-Spaniards. 


The scene at Los Llanos airbase in Albacete, Spain, after a Greek air force F-16 crashed there today


This picture from another angle shows other planes hit by the crashing jet, including two Italian AMXs



Smoke rises after a Greek F-16 aircraft crashed at Los Llanos air base in Albacete, eastern Spain

The Italian ministry of defence has said nine of its personnel have been injured in the accident, including two who have been taken to hospital for further treatment. 
France's defence ministry said that one Frenchman was killed and five seriously injured. 
Based on initial reports, there were no U.S. personnel killed but an unknown number were treated for minor injuries, said Air Force Lt. Col. Vanessa Hillman, a Pentagon spokeswoman. 
Two Greek pilots on board the doomed jet were among the dead. 
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The F-16 US-made jet had taken off on a training exercise before losing power and crashing into hangers where other planes were being kept, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Military sources said the accident happened after the plane had failed to gather sufficient power before taking off, according to The Local, which cited a report in El Pais. 
It smashed into the area of the base where the other planes involved in the Nato exercise were parked.


What appear to be two Italian air force AMX jets are burning close to the wreckage of the wrecked Hellenic air force f-16. A U.S. Air Force F-15 can be seen right, with markings suggesting it is based in Lakenheath, UK



A statement from Spain's defence ministry said: 'The plane, part of the Tactical Leadership Programme of NATO was carrying out a (training) exercise when during the take-off the plane lost power, crashing into the parking area for planes, crashing into various planes that were parked there.'
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he was 'deeply saddened by the crash of a Greek fighter jet at the Los Llanos base in Spain, which has caused many casualties.'
He did not specify their nationalities in a statement, but called the crash 'a tragedy that affects the whole NATO family.'

NATO US-Made F16 fighter jet crashes at Albacete airbase, Killing 11 Airmen




An US-Made F-16 Fighting Falcon: The Greek pilots had been taking part in a joint training exercise with Nato allies

Los Llanos is host to Nato's Tactical Leadership Programme, which trains pilots from different Nato allies to work together in the same command structures.

According to a US Air Force Website, TLP was formed in 1978 by Nato's Central Region air forces to work on tactics, techniques and procedures in multinational air operations. 
The spokesman said firefighters were trying to put out a fire at the base and the area had been cordoned off.