ΝΕΚΡΟΙ ΟΙ 2 ΕΛΛΗΝΕΣ ΠΙΛΟΤΟΙ ΚΑΙ 8 ΓΑΛΛΟΙ. ΠΟΛΛΟΙ ΙΤΑΛΟΙ ΜΕΤΑΞΥ ΤΩΝ ΤΡΑΥΜΑΤΙΩΝ-Greek fighter jet crashes in Spain killing 10 people

The F-16 fighter jet is reported to have crashed shortly after taking off, as Ben Brown reports

Ten people have been killed after a Greek fighter jet crashed during take-off at a Nato air base in central Spain.

The F-16 jet "lost power", crashing into other planes and exploding at Los Llanos airbase in Albacete, Spain's defence ministry said.

France's defence ministry has confirmed that eight of the dead were French.

One of the pilots performed a wrong manoeuvre during take-off, according to local media. Both pilots were killed.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said two Greeks had been killed.

A further 13 people were injured in the incident. Reports suggest that many of the injured are Italians.

Personnel from the US, Denmark, Germany, Belgium and the UK are also said to be stationed at the base.

Both of the jet fighter's pilots were killed in the crash

Emergency services rushed to the scene

Personnel from different Nato states were using the base

It was not immediately clear how many planes were damaged on the ground

The plane crashed at about 15:30 (14:30 GMT) at the base 260 km (160 miles) south-east of Madrid.

Emergency crews extinguished the fire and were assessing how much damage had been done to other planes involved in the Nato exercise, the ministry added.

Aviation analyst Sean Maffett told BBC News Channel it was difficult to imagine how the accident had occurred because the runway where the aircraft was taking off is about 1,000 ft (305 m) away from where the crash apparently took place.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that he was deeply saddened by the crash.

"This is a tragedy which affects the whole Nato family," he said. "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."

Spanish officials said the jet had been participating in a Nato training exercise called the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP).

The TLP is not part of the Nato structure but is an organisation formed under an agreement between 10 Nato nations whose aim is to increase the effectiveness of allied air forces through the development of leadership skills.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30991950