&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Eight feared dead after US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes at California's Edwards Base")
Eight people are feared dead after a B-52 bomber crashed shortly after taking off in California on Monday, according to officials at the US Air Force base where the incident occurred.
“An Air Force B-52 Stratofortress carrying eight people on a routine test mission crashed today shortly after take-off at 11.20 am (PDT). Initial indications are that the crash was not survivable,” Edwards Air Force Base said in a statement.
The development comes after an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California on Monday, according to officials at the base.
The aircraft went down at around 11:20 a.m. PT after departing from the airfield at Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County.
In a statement posted on X, the base said, "Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene, and the situation is ongoing."
"The airfield has been closed, and all inbound aircraft are being diverted. Additionally, all non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations," it added.
The B-52 strategic bomber entered service after its first flight in 1954 and was initially developed for potential conflict with the Soviet Union. Despite its Cold War origins, the aircraft has undergone repeated modernisation programmes that have allowed it to remain operational for decades.
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One of the largest aircraft in the US Air Force fleet, the B-52 measures about 159 feet in length and has a wingspan of approximately 185 feet. It can carry a wide variety of weapons, including conventional bombs and cruise missiles.
The bomber is typically operated by a five-member crew consisting of an aircraft commander, pilot, radar navigator, navigator and electronic warfare officer.
Capable of flying combat missions over distances of up to 8,800 miles, the aircraft can also be equipped to carry nuclear weapons. Over the years, the United States has deployed the B-52 in major military operations, including those in Vietnam, the Gulf region, Iraq, Afghanistan and, most recently, Iran.
