10 Die in Military Plane Crash in Spain

Spain’s prime minister says a military transport plane has crashed near southwestern Seville airport killing its crew. It is not known if others were injured.

Mariano Rajoy said up to 10 crew members were aboard a brand new Airbus A400M aircraft that was undergoing flight trials at the airport.

Spain’s airport authority AENA confirmed that Seville airport has been closed Saturday because its fire crews have gone to attend a plane crash outside its perimeter fence. All flights to Seville are being diverted to Malaga and Jerez airports, AENA says.

The crash also knocked out power at an industrial estate in the suburb of Carmona, AENA said..

Photographs published on leading Spanish newspaper El Pais’ website showed fire services working to extinguish the smoking wreckage in a plowed field.

Spanish state television TVE broadcast footage shot from a car driving past airport buildings showing a plume of black smoke rising into the sky. TVE said the pilots had communicated with the control tower, saying their plane was in difficulty.