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
By Associated
Press and Reuters
and Damien
Gayle for MailOnline
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.
//__________________________________________//
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.