Up to eight people have been killed and at least another 20 injured after a plane overshot the runway at Madrid's Barajas airport, according to Spanish media reports.
The website of the Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that eight people were killed when the airliner swerved off the runway. Another newspaper website, El Pais, said seven people died.
Both reported that at least another 20 people were confirmed to have been injured, although the figure could be as high as 43. The La Ser radio station quoted emergency services officials as saying no one had died in the incident but 20 were hurt.
The accident happened at terminal four of the airport. Eleven fire engines are reportedly at the scene. The El Pais website said the accident sparked a small fire on a grassy area.
The airliner had been attempting an emergency landing after trying to take off. The plane's left engine caught on fire just before take off at 2.30pm local time, according to witnesses.
The Spanair flight AJK 5022, which was bound for Gran Canaria, had 160 passengers on board, El Mundo reported.
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