Tragic Crash of B-52 Bomber Claims Eight Lives in California
Los Angeles, June 16: A B-52 Stratofortress belonging to the US Air Force crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base, located in California's Mojave Desert, as confirmed by the base.
The incident took place on Monday around 11:20 a.m. local time, according to a post from the base on X.
Emergency response teams were quickly dispatched to the crash site, and operations are still ongoing.
In another update on X, the military base announced the closure of the airfield, with all incoming flights being redirected, as reported by a news agency.
Colonel James Hayes addressed the media, stating, "Today, Edwards Air Force Base faced a devastating tragedy, resulting in the loss of eight remarkable Americans," referring to the victims as a "diverse crew of military personnel, government civilians, and contractors."
To prioritize emergency response efforts, all non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice, the base indicated.
The B-52 was carrying eight individuals at the time of the crash, and unfortunately, there were no survivors, as stated by the base.
According to the base, the aircraft was engaged in a routine test mission when it went down, producing a significant plume of black smoke visible from miles away.