Seville Airport Shuts Down After Military Plane Crash: Multiple People Killed

Three people have been confirmed dead and Spain’s Seville Airport has been shut down after the crash of a military transport plane during a routine test flight Saturday. The plane went down with at least seven people aboard shortly after take-off, Reuters reported. In addition to the three people killed, two others were seriously injured and two others were unaccounted for.

Early reports indicated the aircraft crashed near a Coca-Cola factory in the Spanish city, according to aviation Web sites. However, it has been confirmed the plane went down just north of the airport in the capital of Spain's Andalusia region.

The crash took place around 1 p.m. local time, and the crash sent a thick column of black smoke into the air, according to reports. Firefighters arrived at the scene to extinguish the blazes of the smoking wreckage.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy confirmed the tragedy, but was unsure about the number of victims. He said the government “sympathizes with the victims and their families and offers our regret,” according to El Pais.

Local news site ABC de Sevilla said the aircraft’s crew alerted air-traffic controllers about a technical failure as they were taking off. The plane was not being flown by Spanish military at the time and was still under trial, Reuters said.