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Smoke rising from the airport in Madrid

At least 45 people have been killed after a passenger plane swerved off the runway at Madrid's Barajas airport, Spanish officials say.

Several more were hurt when the Spanair plane bound for Gran Canaria left the runway with more than 150 passengers on board, just after 1445 (1245 GMT).

There were reports of a fire in the left engine during take-off. TV footage showed smoke billowing from the craft.

Helicopters and fire trucks were called out to dump water on the plane.

Spanish journalist Manuel Moleno, who was near the area when the accident happened, told the BBC the plane had "crashed into pieces".

"We heard a big crash. So we stopped and we saw a lot of smoke," he said.

There are conflicting accounts about the number of deaths, with some reports suggesting most of the passengers on the plane may be dead.

Mr Moleno said he had seen as many as 20 people walking away from the wreckage.

The situation at the airport was chaotic, he said, with travellers desperately trying to call relatives on their mobile phones.

BBC journalist Stephanie McGovern, who is also at the airport, said the airport was closed - but that planes had taken off

The plane, which was destined for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, came down during or shortly after take-off, local media say, quoting aviation authorities.

It skidded off the runway at terminal four into fields, says the BBC's Steve Kingstone in Madrid.

"Spanair regrets to confirm that its flight number JK 5022 from Madrid to Las Palmas de Gran Canarias was involved in an accident at Madrid, at 1445 hours local time today," the airline said in a statement.

The aircraft was a MD82, a plane commonly used on short trips around Europe, aviation expert Chris Yates told the BBC.

He said Spanair, a subsidiary of Scandinavian carrier SAS, had a very good safety record. Reports say it was the first crash at Barajas airport, some 13km (8 miles) out of central Madrid, since 1983.

People concerned for relatives or friends who may have been on board the plane should call Spanair's helpline on: +34 800 400 200.

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