Spain: A Spanish air carrier skidded off the runway resulting in a major tragedy. The death toll is still on the rise. 146 people dead and 26 injured. The aircraft was carrying 164 passengers and 9 crew members on its way to a popular tourist spot Canary Islands. This is one of the worst aviation accidents at the airport since 1983 when 2 Spanish airliners collided.
Emergency services have been raced to the spot as thick black smoke billowed from the runway. Helicopters dropped water to douse the flames of the jet and the Red Cross set up a field hospital near the airport.
The Spanair Flt 5022 was on its way to Canary Islands when one of its engines reportedly caught fire. "The plane passed its annual maintenance test on January 24 and up until today no failure was reported. As you understand we cannot provide any information as of the cause of this accident at the moment. We have made ourselves available for the civil aviation authorities that will determine the causes for this lamentable accident, “ says Sergio Allard, Commercial Director of Spainair.
Meanwhile, worried family members of the passengers could only throng the airports terminal to brace themselves for the worst.
"They're aren't on the list (passenger list) they released, they aren't on it. The lady with the list says they aren't on it. Maybe they are just trying to give us hope," says a Spanish mother waiting for her son.
Flight operations have resumed at the airport, even as rescue operations continue.
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