A pilot has been killed after a Spanish Eurofighter jet crashed following a military display in Madrid.

The aircraft went down near a military base at Albacete, 180 miles southeast of the capital, the country's defence ministry said.

Emergency services were alerted after the plane crashed on farmland near the Los Llanos base, a spokesman said.

In a statement, the defence ministry said: "As a result of the accident, the pilot of the plane that crashed on its approach to landing has died."

The Twitter account for the ministry's chief of staff confirmed the pilot's death.


Alongside an image of the Spanish flag with a black ribbon pinned to it, it said: "Rest in peace, comrade.

"Thank you for helping us to celebrate the day you have given your life for. We won't forget you."

Spanish media has identified the pilot as Captain Borja Aybar.

The aircraft had been taking part in a military parade to commemorate Spain's national holiday and crashed as it returned to base.

The cause is being investigated.

In June 2014, a Eurofighter crashed in Spain, killing the pilot as the aircraft ploughed into the ground short of the runway at Moron air force base near Seville.

Spain's national day marks the date that Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas in 1492.