MADRID (Reuters) - At least 45 people were killed when a Spanair jet crashed on takeoff and burst into flames at Madrid airport on Wednesday, the government said, but an emergency services source reported about 150 deaths.
Smoke billowed up near Terminal Four from the remains of Flight JK5022, an MD-82 jet bound for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. The 15-year-old plane shot off the runway, carrying 166 passengers and nine crew, at 2:45 pm local time (1245 GMT), according to Spanair, and witnesses described a huge explosion.