The airline involved in last week’s plane disaster in Madrid had considered switching aircraft at the last minute because of a mechanical problem, a government minister said today.

The “black box” flight data recorder will hold a clue to the likely cause of the devastating Madrid air crash which claimed more than 150 lives, air experts said today.

Authorities in Madrid are beginning the grim task of identifying 153 victims burned to death when a jet heading to the Canary Islands crashed on take-off.

A Spanish airliner bound for the Canary Islands at the height of the holiday season crashed, burned and broke into pieces today while trying to take off from Madrid, killing 149 people on board, officials said.