A Spanish EF-18 pilot of the Wing 12 dies when his plane crashes in Teruel

This afternoon we learned the sad news of the death in an accident of a Spanish Air Force pilot.

A Spanish EF-18 Hornet fighter seen up close and showing small details of its fuselage
The best photos from the US National Archives about the Spanish Air Force

The deceased is Lieutenant Colonel Pablo Estrada Martín, born in 1975, married with four children. He was the head of the Air Forces of Wing 12, based in Torrejón de Ardoz, and had more than 2,358 flight hours, 970 of them in EF-18. His plane crashed near the city of Teruel. No further details are known about what happened at the moment.

With today's accident, 12 EF-18s have been lost by Spain from a total fleet of 96 aircraft, accidents in which 4 pilots have died. This is the third accident of Wing 12 with this aircraft and the second with a fatality.

From here I send my condolences to the family and colleagues of Lieutenant Colonel Estrada.

Give Lord eternal rest. Let perpetual light shine upon him. Rest in peace.

Honor demanded and they obeyed,
Duty required it and they complied with it;
With their blood the company was signed
With their efforts they made the country great.

They were big and strong, because they were
Faithful to the oath they swore.
That's why they fought like brave men,
And they died like heroes.

Dying for the country was his destiny,
Love Spain its eternal passion,
Serve in the Armies his vocation and fate.

They did not want to serve another Flag,
They did not want to walk another path,
They didn't know how to live any other way.