A Greek fighter jet that crashed during a training exercise left eight French citizens dead and 21 others hurt, Spain's Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced on Monday.

The F-16 jet fell out of the sky at around 3 in the afternoon, moments after leaving the runway at a training center in the Spanish town of Albacete.

Like Us on Facebook

The two pilots steering the plane were among the dead, so are mechanics and pilots who were working below the jet in the parking area, Spanish media reported. Italian Alpha Jet and French Mirage planes were in the hangar when the plane crashed, Spanish defense officials said.

The prime minister told a Spanish television network that there were many others injured in the crash including 11 Italians and 10 more French nationals.

The fighter plane from Greece was in the middle of a NATO training maneuver at the Spanish air base but apparently there was a catastrophic failure as the jet was taking to the skies. Spain's defense ministry said the jet suddenly lost power and dropped into a hangar then it crashed into the planes that were parked in the area.

Five of those hurt in the crash were rushed to a burns specialist facility at Madrid's La Paz Hospital while others were taken to a medical facility in Albacete.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his condolences and grief in a statement, saying it was a tragedy, which strikes at the heart of all NATO family members. He greeted the loved ones and countries of those who lost their lives and wished the injured a speedy recovery. 

TagsGreece, Spain, fighter jet crash, NATO