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1st LD Writethru: France says F-16 fighter crash due to technical failure during take-off

Xinhua, January 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

The NATO F-16 fighter that crashed in Spain on Monday, which killed 9 Frenchmen and 2 Greeks, experienced a technical failure during takeoff, said the French ministry of defence Thursday, adding that the crew attempted to eject.

"This is an absolutely improbable accident of a plane experiencing failure during takeoff, which deviates strongly from its course, and it comes down right where we had planes that were taxing," said Denis Mercier, chief of staff of the Air Force, cited by the newspaper le Figaro.

"What we know is that the crew of the F-16, quite quickly, almost right after takeoff, attempted to eject, so this confirms the technical failure," he added.

The Greek F-16 fighter crashed during take-off at an airbase in Spain on Monday, killing a total of 11 people with 21 others injured. Enditem