A Jordanian plane crashed during an acrobatic maneuver at an air show Saturday, killing at least nine people as it showered horrified onlookers with flaming debris.
The small, single-seat plane went down and burst into flames next to a first aid post and bleachers packed with spectators, said Interior Minister Johan Vande Lanotte.About 40 people were injured, 10 of them critically, said Vande Lanotte, who was at the scene near the Belgian coastal resort of Ostend.
The pilot, a member of a Jordanian air force team, was performing a solo routine when he apparently lost control of the craft about five minutes into his flight.
Witnesses said the plan hurtled toward the ground. The pilot appeared to be pulling out of a nose dive but was too late.
"It was clear the pilot lost control of his plane while he was maneuvering," Vande Lanotte told RTBF television. "If he'd crashed 50 yards further he would have missed the onlookers."
Several children were among the casualties. Panic-stricken spectators attempted to flee the site, delaying the arrival of ambulances.
Burning wreckage and gushing black smoke covered the area. Television footage showed one man dashing from the scene, in his arms a severely bleeding child.
Some witnesses said a sudden gust of wind appeared to blow the plane sideways during the maneuver. The air show was conducted amid blustery, rainy conditions in the North Sea resort.
It was one of the most serious air show crashes in Europe since 70 people were killed on Aug. 28, 1988, when three Italian jets collided at a U.S. base in Ramstein, Germany. One of the jets plunged into the crowd and exploded.
Maj. Gen. Mohammed Abadnah, head of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, said the pilot was an air force captain. Jordanian television identified him as Capt. Omar Hani Bilal.