UK NEWS

150 FEARED DEAD IN MADRID PLANE CRASH

Distraught relatives in the Canary Islands wait for news

Wednesday August 20,2008

By Emily Garnham for express.co.uk

UP TO 150 people are feared dead tonight after a Spanish airliner crashed and caught fire while trying to take off from Madrid’s Barajas airport.

The plane, which was bound for the Canary Islands, was carrying 172 passengers and crew members when it crashed near the end of the runway.

The Interior Ministry said that it feared only 28 passengers survived - and 19 of those rescued from Spanair flight JK5022 have serious injuries and are in a critical condition.

*** EXPRESS VIDEO: MADRID PLANE CRASH ***

Spanish newspaper El Pais quoted an airport official who claimed the stricken plane sped off the end of the runway and crashed, breaking into pieces, possibly after a fire in one engine.

A helicopter sprays water on the airliner

As employee of the national airport authority AENA said that after an hour long delay due to technical problems, the plane had eventually managed to get slightly off the ground before crashing near the end of the runway.

Thick columns of white smoke billowed from the scene as helicopters and fire engines dumped water on the plane, which ended up in a wooded area at the end of the runway at Terminal 4.

Three days of official mourning have been announced in Spain

An official with the Madrid emergency rescue service SAMUR called the crash "a catastrophe."

A makeshift morgue was being set up at the city’s main convention center, officials said.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero interrupted his vacation in southern Spain to travel straight to Barajas airport, some eight miles from Madrid city centre.

Departures from Madrid’s airport were suspended for several hours before finally resuming tonight.

Three days of official mourning were announced in Spain.