U.S. B-52 bomber crashes on takeoff from Edwards base, crew fate unclear
A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff Monday at Edwards Air Force Base in California, with emergency crews deployed and no word on the five crew members.
What happened
At 11:20 a.m. Pacific time on Monday, a B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, about 95 kilometers north of Los Angeles. The base confirmed the accident on social media and said emergency crews responded immediately. The aircraft went down on the airfield in a desert area, and no residential areas were affected.
Response and casualties
Multiple rescue vehicles and personnel were deployed to secure the site. Aerial footage showed a wide burnt area and a tall column of black smoke rising. The U.S. Air Force has not confirmed the status of the five crew members aboard. A base spokesman declined to provide further details, and the investigation is ongoing.
The B-52 in service
The B-52 Stratofortress has been a mainstay of the U.S. strategic bomber fleet since the 1950s. It has a range of up to 14,160 kilometers and can carry conventional or nuclear payloads. The aircraft has seen action in conflicts from Vietnam to recent operations in Iran. Today, about 76 B-52s remain in active service, with plans to keep them flying into the 2050s.
Same-day Russian bomber crash
On the same day, a Russian Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed during a training flight in the Irkutsk region of Siberia. Russia's defense ministry said the crew ejected and survived. Unverified footage on social media showed the aircraft descending rapidly into a forested riverbank before a large smoke plume rose.
