A US Air Force B-52 bomber crashed on takeoff in California on Monday, with eight crew members feared dead, according to officials. The accident occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time at a remote airbase in the Mojave Desert, about 100 miles north of Los Angeles.
Crash Details
Aerial video footage of the crash scene showed a charred, smoldering patch of the desert floor roughly the size of a football field. The aircraft, which was on a routine training mission, went down shortly after departing from Edwards Air Force Base.
Emergency crews responded quickly, but the intense fire and destruction made rescue efforts challenging. Officials have not confirmed any survivors, and the search for the eight crew members is ongoing.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the crash is under investigation, with the Air Force launching a full inquiry. The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that has been in service since the 1950s. It is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional weapons.
This incident marks one of the deadliest accidents involving a B-52 in recent years. The last major crash of this aircraft type occurred in 2019 when a B-52 went down in Guam, resulting in no fatalities.
Local authorities have cordoned off the area, and the Federal Aviation Administration has been notified. The Air Force has grounded all B-52 operations at the base pending further investigation.
The crew members have not been publicly identified, pending notification of next of kin. The incident has raised concerns about the aging fleet of B-52 bombers, which are scheduled to remain in service through the 2050s.
