A powerful US B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff. The US Air Force has confirmed that the plane that crashed at Edwards Air Force Base in California has killed all eight people on board.
The crash happened Monday at a US military base in the Mojave Desert, about 95 kilometers north of Los Angeles. The plane crashed on the runway at 11:20 am just after a routine test flight, the Air Force statement said.
Drone footage of the crash site revealed the giant bomber was completely destroyed and emergency rescue teams were working around the wreckage.
“After reviewing footage of the wreckage, it is clear that the crash was so severe that there was no chance of survival,” US Air Force Col. James Hayes told a news conference. The eight people killed include government civilians, contract workers and members of the military.
The test flight was reportedly part of a radar modernization program. However, the exact cause of the accident is yet to be known and investigations are on.
Meanwhile, all flights at Edwards Air Force Base have been suspended until Tuesday due to extensive runway damage. All flights arriving by air have been diverted to other bases. It has banned general visitors to the base indefinitely so that emergency rescue and other measures can be taken.
The B-52 Stratofortress, built by Boeing and powered by eight engines, is one of the main weapons of the United States Air Force. It made its first flight in 1954 to confront the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Although old, it has been continuously modernized and is still one of the most important parts of the US fleet.
With a wingspan of 185 feet, the massive aircraft is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. The bomber has a range of up to 8,800 miles and can launch cruise missiles, precision-guided missiles and nuclear bombs from 50,000 feet. The powerful bomber has been used by the United States in operations from the Vietnam War to the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently Iran.