ABNA24 - A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress has crashed in the California desert, killing all eight people on board, according to military officials.
A military aircraft crashed at a base north of Los Angeles Monday morning, Edwards Air Force Base said on social media.
“A United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff on the Edwards airfield at 11:20 a.m.,” the base said on Facebook. “Emergency crews immediately responded to the scene and the situation is ongoing.”
Colonel James Hayes told a news conference that investigators had determined that no one could have survived the crash.
“Today, Edwards Air Force Base experienced a horrible tragedy, and we lost eight great Americans,” Hayes said.
“This crash is deemed to be unsurvivable and, right now, our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”
The crash left a towering black plume at Edwards Air Force Base, located in California’s Mojave Desert, northeast of Los Angeles. The runway at the base was left with a large blackened scar and smoke, but it was difficult to make out any distinct parts of the wreckage, video from CNN affiliate KCAL shows.
The B-52 is one of the Air Force’s oldest aircraft, first entering service in 1955. The long-range heavy bomber, which typically carries a crew of five, can carry as much as 70,000 pounds of bombs and other munitions.
The currently flown version, the B-52H, still plays a major role in the Air Force’s arsenal, which includes 76 of the aircraft. It was used in bombing missions during the current conflict between the US and Iran. The B-52H can also carry nuclear bombs and nuclear-armed cruise missiles.
Before Monday’s crash, the most recent fatal accident involving the aircraft was in 2008, when six Air Force personnel were killed after their B-52 crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Guam while preparing for a parade flyover.
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