Ten people are reported to have been killed after one of the Greek air force’s Lockheed Martin F-16Ds crashed at Albacete air base in Spain, with a fire having resulted in casualties and damage to other aircraft parked on the ground.

Understood to have come down soon after taking off on 26 January, the Greek trainer was among a large detachment of aircraft assigned to a NATO Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) course, which started at Albacete on 19 January.

Both crew members of the Greek aircraft are believed to have been killed in the accident, and the French defence ministry confirms that eight of its air force personnel also lost their lives. Images of the crash scene show a destroyed Dassault Alpha Jet, parked alongside a fire-damaged Italian air force AMX.

Host service the Spanish air force says around 750 personnel are involved in the current TLP exercise. Visiting combat aircraft from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the UK and the USA are also participating in the activity, which is due to run through 13 February.

Source: FlightGlobal.com