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.

Dozens of people were feared dead after a Spanish airliner crashed on take-off from Madrid airport today.