Eight feared dead after US B-52 bomber crash

(Patria) - Eight people are feared dead after a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber "crashed shortly after takeoff" from Edwards Air Force Base in southern California, the base said in a statement, the BBC reported late last night.

The incident occurred at 11:20 local time. The aircraft was on a routine training mission before the crash, which sent a huge plume of black smoke into the air visible for miles.

The base said initial indications suggest the crash was "not survivable" and that emergency services responded immediately to the scene. They are "working to account for all personnel."

A base spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by BBC News.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been used by the US military since the 1950s. Its nickname is "Buff," which is partly an acronym for "Big Ugly Fat Fellow."

Aerial footage showed a charred and smoking landscape at the crash site.

In a later update on social media platform X, the base said "the airfield is closed and all inbound aircraft are being diverted."

"All non-commercial visitor passes are suspended until further notice to allow the installation to fully focus on emergency response operations."

The B-52 is a long-range strategic bomber that participated in the bombing of Iran during the latest US-Israeli war against that country.

Capable of flying up to 15,000 meters (commercial aircraft fly at around 10,500 meters), this colossal bomber, with its payload of 32,000 kilograms, can include hundreds of conventional bombs and 32 nuclear cruise missiles.

It can be refueled in mid-air, giving it potentially unlimited strike range. This created a "nuclear umbrella" for the United States during the Cold War.

It typically has a crew of five - aircraft commander, pilot, radar navigator, navigator, and electronic warfare officer.

Edwards Air Force Base is located about 160 km north of Los Angeles, in the Mojave Desert.