Spain: Pilot dead as F-18 military plane crashes near Madrid

An F18 aircraft during take-off. (Source: Reutes)

An F18 fighter jet crashed on takeoff at a military base near Madrid on Tuesday, killing the pilot — the second time a military plane has come down in Spain in a week. “The pilot of the airplane has died as a consequence of the accident, which happened during take-off,” the Spanish defence ministry said in a tweet following the crash near the Torrejon de Ardoz base, around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Madrid.

“Rescue teams are on their way to the scene of the accident,” a ministry spokesman told AFP, adding that the cause of the crash was as yet unknown. The accident came just days after the pilot of a Eurofighter jet was killed Thursday on the approach to landing at a military base at Albacete, 300 kilometres southeast of the capital.

The jet had been taking part in a military display for Spain’s national day. Two other Eurofighter jets crashed in Spain in 2010 and 2014, both times killing the pilot.