6:38am UK, Thursday August 21, 2008

An airliner packed with families bound for the Canary Islands has crashed during take-off, killing 153 people on board as it turned into a massive fireball.

A part of the Spanair jet’s fuselage is lifted by a crane

Just 19 survived the disaster – many of those who died are believed to be tourists and holidaymakers.

Twenty children and two babies were among the 175 people on board Spanair Flight JK5022 when it crashed at Barajas airport in Madrid.

The plane, bound for Las Palmas, had barely left the runway when it veered into shrubland, breaking up and bursting into flames.

Airport staff and emergency workers described the devastating scenes as they raced to put out the blaze and rescue any survivors from the stricken aircraft.

Two civil guards told El Pais newspaper: “It doesn’t look anything like a plane – it’s horrific – everything is burnt.

“It’s the closest to hell that I’ve seen. The bodies were boiling hot, we burnt ourselves collecting them.”

Witnesses said the left engine caught fire as the aircraft reached maximum speed and started to lift, causing the plane to crash to the ground and break into two parts.

The disaster apparently occurred during a second attempt at take off.

An earlier take-off was delayed after the plane’s pilot reported a breakdown in a gauge that measures temperature outside the plane, Spanair spokeswoman Susana Vergara said.

Passengers were reportedly warned they may need to change planes.

Sky’s Ian Woods, in Madrid, said: “I think what a lot of people here in Spain will want to know – and certainly the relatives of those who perished on the plane – is, if there was a technical issue with the flight which delayed its take-off initially and it was then given the go-ahead to take off – why was that?

“What was the technical issue which caused the delay and why was the go-ahead then given for the plane to at least try to take off and head for Gran Canaria?”

The Queen has expressed her condolences in a message to King Juan Carlos of Spain.

She said: “I was deeply saddened to learn of the dreadful loss of life in today’s aircraft crash at Barajas airport in Madrid, the news of which has shocked us all.

“Philip joins me in sending our warm and heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of those who have died and our best wishes for a speedy recovery to those who have been injured.

“At this difficult time all those affected by this tragedy are in our thoughts and prayers.”

It is Spain’s most serious air disaster in more than 20 years.

The Foreign Office is not aware of any British nationals involved in the crash.

A makeshift morgue has been set up at the city’s main convention centre, according to Spanish officials.