UPDATE: Spain Plane Crash Kills Dozens

At least 45 people are reportedly dead after a Spanish plane carrying more than 170 people went off the runway Wednesday at Madrid's Barajas Airport.

The crash during take off reportedly happened after an explosion on board the budget airline jet sent up a plume of smoke visible from several kilometers away.

The accident happened as Spanair Flight 5022 was taking off from the main runway. The flight was headed to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, a more than two-hour flight.

Spanair, owned by Scandinavian airline SAS, serves as one of Spain's three major private carriers.

For further information, visit the airline's Web site at: www.spanair.com