SRINAGAR: Eight people are believed to have been killed after a US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after take-off from Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert on Monday, according to multiple media reports.
The aircraft went down at around 11:20 a.m. local time shortly after departure, according to an official alert issued by the base on social media platform X. Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site, with rescue and recovery operations continuing throughout the day.
“We lost eight great Americans,” James Hayes, deputy commander at Edwards Air Force Base, said, as reported by the Associated Press (AP). The US Air Force had earlier suggested there was little chance of survival, stating in a post that “initial indications are that the crash was not survivable.”
CNN reported that all eight personnel on board are believed to have died in the incident.
In a later update at 12:48 p.m. PDT, the base confirmed that the airfield had been closed and all inbound aircraft were being diverted. Non-commercial visitor access was also suspended until further notice as authorities focused on emergency operations.
Aerial footage from the desert site, around 100 miles north of Los Angeles, showed a large scorched area of terrain roughly the size of a football field. Emergency vehicles were seen operating around the perimeter, while no significant identifiable debris was immediately visible.
The cause of the crash has not yet been disclosed. The US Air Force has launched an investigation, which will begin once the site is secured.
