A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert on Monday, killing all eight people on board, military officials confirmed.
The aircraft was conducting a routine test mission in support of a radar modernization programme when it went down moments after leaving the runway. Witnesses reported seeing a massive fireball and thick black smoke rising from the crash site, which could be seen from miles away across the desert landscape.
Air Force Colonel James Hayes said the aircraft carried a mixed crew that included military personnel, government civilians and contractors. Boeing, the company that designed and built the iconic bomber, confirmed that two of its employees were among those killed in the accident.
BREAKING: A U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff at Edwards Air Force Base, triggering an emergency response.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene as thick black smoke billowed from the wreckage scattered across the desert airfield.
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Emergency responders quickly reached the scene, but officials determined that the crash was unsurvivable. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims as families are still being notified.
The cause of the accident remains unknown and is under investigation. Air Force officials said investigators will examine flight data, maintenance records and other evidence to determine what led to the crash.
Aerial footage from the site showed a large scorched area of desert terrain, with little visible debris remaining from the aircraft. The crash occurred at Edwards Air Force Base, one of the most important flight-testing facilities in the United States and home to numerous historic aviation milestones.
The B-52 Stratofortress has served as a cornerstone of the US strategic bomber fleet for decades. Capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, the long-range aircraft remains a key component of American military operations despite being introduced during the Cold War era.
Monday’s tragedy marks the first B-52 crash since a similar aircraft went down in Guam in 2016. In that incident, all seven crew members survived. The latest crash is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of one of the Air Force’s oldest but most enduring aircraft platforms.