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[castle007]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/20/plane.crash.madrid/index.html

MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A Spanish plane with more than 170 people on board went off the runway Wednesday at Madrid's Barajas Airport, killing at least 45 people, officials said.


The crash during take off reportedly followed an explosion on board the budget airline jet, sending up a plume of smoke visible from several kilometers away.

The office of Spain's prime minister, quoting the Madrid Regional Development office, put the casualty figure at about 45.

At least 19 people were hospitalized, some with serious injuries and others with non-life threatening injuries, Spanish Red Cross spokeswoman Olivia Acosa told CNN. Many of the injured were treated for burns, she said.

The incident happened as Spanair Flight 5022 was taking off from the main runway, the official said. It was headed to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, a more than two-hour flight. Watch smoke rising from airport »

The Red Cross said it has set up a field hospital at the airport to treat the injured.

Clouds of gray and black smoke billowed from the site, and even local media cameras could not get a close view of the accident scene. A helicopter passed overhead, dumping what appeared to be water on reported grassfires sparked by the blaze.

Ambulances were seen speeding in and out of the airport and dozens of emergency vehicles gathered at one entrance point. Watch as the wounded arrive at a hospital »

Spanish journalist Carlota Fomina told CNN said she had spoken to one of the passengers who had been on board the plane at the time of the crash who described an explosion and fire at the back of the plane.

She said the plane appeared to make a relatively controlled landing.

CNN sister station CNN+ is reporting that the plane may have veered off the runway after experiencing engine problems. Spanish media reported at least 11 fire engines were dispatched to control the blaze.

Spanair, owned by Scandinavian airline SAS, is one of Spain's three major private carriers.

An SAS official said there were 166 passengers plus six crew on the plane, which was a code-share flight with Lufthansa Airline, indicating the jet may have been carrying German vacationers.

Barajas airport closed after the flight, but it is expected to reopen later in the day, the official said. iReport: Send us your pictures, video, information.

The United States' National Transportation Safety Board is sending an investigation team to Madrid to aid in the crash investigation because the aircraft is an American-made McDonnell Douglas MD-82, NTSB spokesman Keith Holloway said.

He said the group will depart "as soon as we can gather the team together."

Spanair has set up a local emergency number for family members, +34 800-400-200.

 

[Dolphin]

Wait, is it Spanair or Spanund?

Spoiler

Sucks though, must have been going pretty fast on the runway to have killed 45 people. Most runway accidents I hear about don't usually kill anyone.

 

[Drozmight]

Wait, is it Spanair or Spanund?

 

[Tarazet]

That's the same line of planes that AA grounded in March and April for overdue inspections on the wiring. Coincidence?

 

[kkaabboomm]

http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=5616885&page=1

El Mundo newspaper reported that 150 people have died, and another 20 are believed critically wounded.

abc/el mundo are reporting 150, a couple more than 45

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

140+ person died for sure, although there's a bit of informative chaos in the first hours.

First impresions and people who saw the incident sy it was a failure in of the motors in the lift off.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

R.I.P.

I fly at most only once or twice per year mostly in September

I hate reading about these things when my travel time nears.

this thing did not even get off the ground... those giant AirBus things will be the most epic crash ever

145 is still a lot of souls

 

[itxaka]

The fuck?

That was here in Madrid? damn, I'll never catch a Spanair fly again, it gives me the creeps as I have flied with them lots of times...

 

[NetMapel]

Argghhh it's the explosion that is causing the big death tolls right now, it seems

 

[SUPREME1]

It's a BUDGET AIRLINE.....

 

[ToxicAdam]

Yea, I thought it was odd that only 30% of the plane had died. Usually it's an all or nothing scenario with airplane crashes.

Hope no one famous was killed.

 

[SoulPlaya]

RIP. I was terrified because my dad wass flying international today and I thought it might have been his flight. Thank God it wasn't but RIP to all those who've suffered.

 

[Z_Y]

Yea, I thought it was odd that only 30% of the plane had died. Usually it's an all or nothing scenario with airplane crashes.

Hope no one famous was killed.

Yea...cause that would make it doubly horrible.

 

[JimiNutz]

I just saw this on BBC news and the figure was over a 100 dead.

R.I.P.

 

[crowphoenix]

That's terrible. 100+ people, just gone.

 

[malek4980]

Hope no one famous was killed.

Who cares? All human life is equal. It doesn't matter whether a famous actor died or an unemployed janitor.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Who cares? All human life is equal. It doesn't matter whether a famous actor died or an unemployed janitor.

logic on GAF u funny man

 

[BigGreenMat]

Who cares? All human life is equal. It doesn't matter whether a famous actor died or an unemployed janitor.

Lots of people care. Human life isn't equal, and it is especially inequal in relative terms. 1000s of janitors could die and I wouldn't blink an eye, but if my mother did I would obviously care. Your point, despite I am sure your good intentions, isn't very valid.

 

[B!TCH]

Who cares? All human life is equal. It doesn't matter whether a famous actor died or an unemployed janitor.

Some people are more equal than others.

 

[saelz8]

The only gulfs between degrees of equality in a plane crash is whether you're sitting in the front, back, or middle.

The movie stars, musicians and business men so optimistic about life sit in the front because they can afford to pay for less turbulance and eat hors d'oeuvres. They will also be the most likely to die in an accident.

The meek shall inherit the earth, when you're crashing.

 

[malek4980]

Lots of people care. Human life isn't equal, and it is especially inequal in relative terms. 1000s of janitors could die and I wouldn't blink an eye, but if my mother did I would obviously care. Your point, despite I am sure your good intentions, isn't very valid.

You would care about your mother's death because of the relationship you two have, not because of her relative fame.

 

[Drozmight]

Hope no one famous was killed.

Famous people fly on budget airlines.

These people are poor.

 

[kozmo7]

Just adds fuel to my fear. I hate planes

 

[backflip10019]

Holy shit, one site said there are 149 dead thus far.

http://www.wnbc.com/news/17241635/d...lbreak&ts=T&tmi=ny_natlbreak_1_11580108202008

RIP

 

[DevelopmentArrested]

some dumb tards in this thread

RIP