Ten Dead, 13 Injured in Greek Fighter Jet Crash in Spain
A Greek fighter jet crashed Monday on takeoff at a military airbase in Spain housing a NATO training center for elite pilots, killing at least 10 people and injuring 13, the defense ministry said.
The F-16 jet "lost power" as it took off from the base near the southeastern city of Albacete and crashed into an area where other planes were parked, striking several of them, the defense ministry said in a statement.
Television footage showed flames and thick black smoke billowing from the crash site, as sirens wailed in the background.
Spain's defense ministry did not give the nationality of the dead and injured. France's defense ministry said one French serviceman was killed and five injured and said minister Jean-Yves Le Drian would travel to the base on Tuesday.
Italy's defense ministry said the injured also included nine Italians, seven of whom had suffered only minor injuries.
Planes from several NATO member states were at the airbase, about 250 kilometers (150 miles) southeast of Madrid, at the time of the accident.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he was "deeply saddened" by the disaster.
"This is a tragedy which affects the whole NATO family. I express my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones and the nations of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured," he said in a statement.
"The plane was taking part in an exercise in the framework of NATO's Tactical Leadership Program, which aims to improve multinational cooperation in air operations," Stoltenberg said.
Spanish media said the two pilots on board the F-16 were among the dead, as well as other pilots and mechanics in the parking area when it crashed just after 3:00 pm (1400 GMT).
Spanish Prime minister Mariano Rajoy expressed his condolences in a Twitter message, saying he was "moved" by the accident.
Defense Minister Pedro Morenes and the chief of staff of Spain's air force, Francisco Javier Garcia Arnaiz were on their way to the airbase.
The base has housed a training center for NATO pilots since 2010, according to its website.
"It's a school for pilots, which is home to ten nationalities,"a Spanish defense ministry said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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