A NATO jet has crashed at a military base in Spain, killing 10 people.

The accident happened at an airbase in the south west of the country at approximately 2.30 this afternoon.

The plane was a Greek fighter jet.

13 others were also injured in the tragedy which happened during a NATO training exercise.

The F-16 had just taken off when it lost power and smashed into an area where aircraft also involved in the exercise were parked.

Among the dead were the jet's two pilots, according to reports.

The Spanish defence ministry said firefighters were working to put out a blaze at the Los Llanos base in Albacete, 160 miles south-east of Madrid.

The crash sent flames and a plume of black smoke billowing into the air and the affected area has been cordoned off.

Most of the victims were not thought to be Spanish.

A defence ministry statement said: "The plane, part of the tactical leadership programme (TLP) of NATO was carrying out a (training) exercise when during the take-off the plane lost power."

It added the jet crashed "into the parking area for planes, crashing into various planes that were parked there".

The other countries taking part in the exercise were the UK, US, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

According to a US Air Force Website, TLP was formed in 1978 by NATO's Central Region air forces to advance their tactical capabilities and produce tactics, techniques and procedures that improve multi-national tactical air operations.

The first TLP course was located at Fuerstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany. It has been based at the Spanish facility since June 2009.